Glitched
by DeliriousAbsol
Summary: There are too many questions that arose when the Fracture appeared, consuming System's capital city. All the events that followed seem to be escalating into one major problem. The world is breaking. A mawile named Pixel, desperate to find her missing friends, finds herself instead looking for a way to save System. Did it all really start with the Fracture, AKA Glitch City?
1. Prologue

**A/N - I got this idea listening to a song by Circus P called Infection. I thought it would be great to write for Pokemon's 20th Anniversary. I don't know how to describe it really... or what genre it falls into. It's not quite cyberpunk, not quite sci fi and not exactly fantasy. CyberSciFantasy? D=**

 **Thanks in advance for reading! Any feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Warning: Some scenes have graphic descriptions of blood that some might find disturbing.**

 **Disclaimer - I do NOT own Pokemon or any of its characters! Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, Game Freak etc (This disclaimer applies to all chapters here on out)**

 **I also do NOT own the Missingno image overlay in the cover. I found it doing a Google search and it's from the Technobuffalo website.**

Glitched

Prologue

The air was different in this area of System, heavier, and seemed to have a static about it that made Vector's fur stand on end. The meowstic and his teammates stood a few feet away from the distorted scenery, a corrupted reflection of the abandoned villages around them. Strings of letters and numbers stretched up from the ground towards the sky, changing intermittently. Nothing but jargon to the pokemon that watched them with curious eyes.

He'd never been this close to the Fracture. No one dared. From the day it appeared, the world had received a massive blow. Seed – the former capital city of System – had, as a result of some unknown event, been sucked into what they could only describe as a 'fracture'. The event had pulled humans into their world, humans who wanted to go back home.

Vector clenched his fist as he stared at the anomaly. It wasn't news to him that pokemon had sent drones into this thing. Drones that had never made it back. Drones that had lost their signal, that those who sent them had been unable to track.

"All right, Bridge!"

The sudden outburst didn't just startle Vector. The pachirisu beside him let out a loud squeak as the pair of them turned to face the speaker – a throh named Raw.

The large fighting pokemon marched through the small group towards the Fracture, holding a small computer in his hand. He nodded a couple of times then turned back to them.

"We're going in," he said.

Vector felt his throat turn dry and he looked back up at the jumble of letters and numbers that impossibly made less sense than they had previously.

Going in...

"Make sure you stick together," Raw went on. "We don't want any mishaps. Our mission is simple – get in there, trigger what started the Fracture in the first place, and hopefully reverse the problem and bridge a way back home for the humans."

Simple...

It didn't sound simple anymore.

"We don't know what caused it in the first place," said Vector.

Raw looked up at him and narrowed his eyes. "The idea is we find out what it is. Explore. We believed it to be an explosion. If it is, we cause another one."

Vector snorted. "What? And risk blowing the place to bits?"

"Pull yourself together, soldier!"

Vector stared at the throh, meeting his eyes and reflecting his frown. His paws fell to his sides and he looked away, casting a glance over the rest of the team – the young pachirisu, a frogadier and a graveler.

"Now hurry," Raw commanded. "We're going in. We've not a moment to lose."

Vector watched as the throh turned away, the rest of the pokemon following after him. His paws wouldn't move. That wall of incoherent text seemed as formidable as steel.

Raw reached the edge of the Fracture and looked back at him with a scowl. "Vector! Hurry up!"  
The meowstic met his eyes again briefly and shook his head. "Sorry. It's too risky."

"The benefits outweigh the risks! We could be saving lives!"  
Vector bit his lip and clenched his paws so tight his claws dug into his pads.

"What's your problem?" Raw barked. "You were all for this! Most of the ideas here are yours!"

"We might not come back..."

Raw's scowl fell as he rolled his eyes. "All right. Forget it. We're going without you." He turned back to the Fracture and closed the small computer, letting it hang from a belt around his waist. "Come on, Bridge. Vector will stand watch and keep an eye open."  
It was all he could do to watch.

The group of explorers vanished through the Fracture wall, their forms distorting and vanishing as the text washed over them, the air once more reflecting the desolate wreckage around it. Former towns, crumbling buildings covered in weeds, trees that seemed hauntingly lifeless even though their branches were full of leaves, swaying on the static-filled air.

He had no idea how long he stood there. It seemed like an eternity, but the sun had barely shifted in the sky when the wall to the Fracture vibrated, a deep rumble coming from somewhere deep within it.

An explosion.

His heart leapt at the thought of them finding it, at the thought of the Fracture breaking and the world returning to normal.

His dreams were short lived. The wall lurched, a bright flash spanning from it as the explosion dragged up the ground, scattering it into the air where it vanished. A fissure expanded through the floor shaking every rock beneath his paws and he flailed his arms as he tried to run backwards. His eyes didn't leave the endless drop that seemed to be chasing his feet. Nothing fell into it, it just vanished. The buildings, the trees – they all disappeared as the light engulfed them.

Then it washed over him. An awful, electrical surge that caused his scream to die on his lips. He watched in horror as the blue fur on his arms slowly drained of its colour. The strength drained from his body and he crumpled to the ground.

Then everything went black.

...

The flash had seemed like a mere blink on the horizon, but the noise alone caused Switch to falter in the air and almost plummet to the floor. He flapped his red wings frantically as he tried to remain airborne, watching as the light flickered away. It could only have been an explosion, but the location... his heart hammered in his chest.

He'd been heading that way.

He stared at the point the light had vanished. It seemed oddly silent now. Almost normal. What had caused that flash?

The talonflame shook himself sharply and turned a full one-eighty. His curiosity wasn't worth the risk. Whatever had happened over there wasn't any of his business, but he couldn't let the incident go unvoiced. Whatever it was reeked of danger. Maybe someone back at base would know more about it.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	2. Bar Room Brawl

**A/N - Here's the first chapter. Hopefully after this one you'll get a feel for the story?**

 **I hope you're enjoying it!**

1 – Bar Room Brawl

"Pixel? Pixel!"

The mawile's dream of frozen berry sorbet shattered and she blinked her eyes open, the former dessert now replaced by fluffy, white clouds blotted across a brilliant blue sky. They moved overhead as the drifting continent floated silently beneath them.

"Pixel!"

The face of an ivysaur blocked her view of the sky and he flashed his teeth in a grin.

"Come on, sleepyhead! We're almost there."

"Oh, Leaf." Pixel sat up and closed her eyes in a smile as she rubbed her paw on the back of her head. "I guess I nodded off."

The ivysaur offered his paw and pulled her to her feet. "If I could fall asleep in a sunbeam as easy as you do, we wouldn't be getting anywhere fast."

He flashed her another grin and turned away from her, rushing back towards the large tower that marked their headquarters atop Cyan Island. Leaf waved his card key at the door and it slid open, and he held it in place so she could slip in ahead of him.

"I think we might be getting warmer this time." Leaf followed her down the spiral staircase. "Raster is one of the towns she was dealing with."

Pixel glanced back at him. "So you think Retro might be in Raster Town?"

Leaf shook his head, making his bobbing shadow behave even more erratic in the flickering light. Pixel filed a mental note to get the bulb replaced.

"I'd be surprised if she were still there. But someone might know where she went."

She bit her lip and turned her attention to the final two steps. She hopped into the hallway and used her card key to open the control room. Flashing lights danced over the buttons and screens on the vast platform that Leaf manned with phenomenal expertise. A pair of emolga twins named Nybble and Byte sat on either side of a large chair checking over information as it popped up on hologram screens, most of which were requests and news from System. One of the boxes was highlighted – the last mission Retro had taken before she vanished.

The ivysaur scurried over to the control deck and jabbed a claw at an image of a large map. "We'll be floating over it in about ten minutes. You'll have enough time to disembark and ask a few questions before the continent turns to head east."

She nodded her understanding as she watched the little blinking dot that was the drifting continent head steadily towards the spot Leaf had marked. If they really could get information on where Retro had got to, it would really help lift the concerns their small team already had. Any news that their boss hadn't actually contracted the virus would give them new hope in actually finding her.

And maybe the other missing members of their team, too.

"Get to the drop point," Leaf told her. "I'll stay in touch over the head set, like I normally do."  
Pixel nodded again and turned to head back into the hallway. "I'll try and be as fast as I can."

"Do." He scratched his head beneath his headphones. "Remember, all I can do is slow the continent. I can't stop it."

She flashed him a grin and bolted from the room, her scarf billowing behind her and almost getting caught in the door as it hissed shut after her. The drop point was only a short walk away, down another flight of steps. Cold air whipped up from the hole at the bottom which provided a fantastic view of the desert and towns below.

On impulse, she reached out behind her and grabbed the foot of the beam ladder. It looked like nothing more than a horizontal cylinder of pale purple light, but was as solid as steel. She'd never questioned how it worked. As far as she knew, all drifting continents had them.

"Pixel?" came Leaf's voice from her head set. "I'm letting you down."

"Great!" She grinned and pulled her pink-rimmed goggles down over her eyes. "I'm ready!"  
She gripped the beam tight as the ladder dropped from the wall. It descended quickly, making it feel like her stomach had been left behind her. The sound of the other rungs appearing above her rang out in a series of electronic flashes. It slowed down as it reached the ground and she let go, landing on her feet with a soft tap.

Raster Town.

It was one of those towns that didn't look as advanced as the cities that sprouted up in the distance. There were no tower blocks, no electronic billboards advertising the latest in berry juice or the most popular music releases. The buildings looked worn, dyed a dingy brown from the dry air of the desert just outside it. Even the street seemed to be made entirely of dirt due to the sand trampled into the tarmac. The only sign that reminded her this town was still connected to System was the giant antennae standing in the middle of it, its narrow point visible over the rickety houses and shop buildings occasionally flashing between blue and green as it transmitted its signal.

There wasn't a single pokemon on the streets. It felt like a ghost town. She strutted between the buildings casting her eyes over the windows. The shops seemed empty save for one or two customers, giving her reassurance that the town was indeed inhabited.

As she rounded a corner past a little bakery, the soft sound of music reached her ears. She turned her head to follow it, and standing on her left a few feet away was a bar, its stable doors swaying in the breeze. Leaning against the wall beside them stood a gabite chewing on a stiff twig with his arms crossed.

A huge smile spread across her face as she swelled with optimism. A watering hole. If she was going to find any information anywhere in this town, it would be there.

She trotted over to it, her scarf whipped up in the sudden wind. Sand brushed against her fur and she instinctively closed her eyes behind her goggles. As she reached the bar, the gabite peered at her below his wide-brimmed hat and followed her with his eyes. She acknowledged him with a brief nod before pushing through the swinging doors.

The smell of old fermented berry juice and sweat stung her nose and she masked a grimace, disguising her hesitation as curiosity by pushing her goggles up onto her head and scoping out the inhabitants of the bar. A pair of cacturne and a krookodile sat in a corner playing cards, while in another corner far from the door were a garchomp, krokorok and heliolisk muttering quietly amongst themselves. A handful of pokemon were gathered around the bar on stools while two maractus trotted back and forth serving drinks.

Most of the pokemon were the sort she'd expect to be living in such a warm, desert area, but what piqued her interest was the bored-looking human sat alone sipping at a green drink. She didn't know a whole lot about humans, but what always fascinated her was the fact that they seemed to make up for their lack of fur by wearing far more accessories than pokemon. However, the amount of layers on this human seemed to be causing him a bit of distress as his untidy brown hair was half-plastered to his forehead, the humidity emphasising his red highlights. From his flight jacket and long brown scarf to his heavy black cargo pants and black boots, he certainly wasn't dressed for the desert.

She turned her attention away and scoped out the pokemon again. Any one of those here might know something about Retro or the other missing investigators. She just needed to find the right one to ask.

One of the maractus gave her a smile and she flashed one back, making her way over to the bar. She squeezed between a tyranitar and sandslash, perching on a small step and pulling herself up so she could see over the counter, and waved.

"I'd like a cheri juice, please?"

The tyranitar and sandslash burst into laughter, and the latter struck the bar with his claws as he tried to regain himself. She looked from each of them, feeling her face heat up with embarrassment.

"What?" she asked.

The maractus smiled. "We don't do cheri juice here," she explained.

"Aye!" The tyranitar wiped a tear away from his eye with a claw. "Y'can get yer girly drink in the city, lass."  
Pixel crinkled her muzzle in a frown and eyed up the incomprehensible menu. "Then... I'll have... what do you do?"  
"Rabuta, watmel, durin and maranga," answered the maractus. "We also do some apicot and ganlon mixes."

Pixel eyed up the tyranitar's rather sour smelling blue drink and decided strongly against it.

"Watmel, please."

The maractus grabbed a glass and filled it with a translucent pink liquid. The glass was placed with a clatter in front of Pixel and she watched the juice slosh around inside before it settled into place. Already condensation was trickling down the surface. She gave it a cursory sniff before sipping it. The sweet flavour she'd expected was somewhat watered down. She thanked the bar maid and handed her a silver coin.

"I was wondering if you could help me," she said.

The maractus raised an eyebrow at her as she absently grabbed an empty glass from the sandslash. The two large pokemon on ether side of Pixel eyed her curiously.

"I'm looking for someone," she went on. "A pokemon called Retro."

The tyranitar snorted. "Never 'eard of him."

"She," Pixel corrected.

The tyranitar snorted again.

"We think she was around here before she went missing," she said.

The sandslash quietly sipped his drink while the tyranitar decided to forget about her, clearly more interested in the contents of his glass.

"I'm afraid I can't help you," said the maractus. "We know all the regulars here, and no one by the name of 'Retro' has been here. You and the strange human over there are the first new customers we've had in weeks."

The tyranitar twisted on his stool to look back at the human and grunted, taking a massive swig of his drink.

Pixel followed his gaze, then glanced around the rest of the bar. Maybe someone else might know something? Hopefully the cacturne and his friends wouldn't mind her interrupting their game of cards.

"Oi!"

The voice made her snap her head round so quickly she almost stumbled off her perch. The garchomp had abandoned his table and stood behind the human with his arms folded, his mouth twisted into a sneer so his sharp canines poked intimidatingly from his lips. The krokorok and heliolisk weren't far behind him, and the pair of them looked as annoyed as he was.

The human lowered his glass but he didn't look back at them. "What?"

"We don't have humans here in Raster," the garchomp growled. "You filth ain't welcome."

The human looked back at him now, not a single hint of fear in his eyes. "You think we're here by choice?"

"You're in this bar by choice," hissed the heliolisk.

"Choice or not," rumbled the garchomp, "it's you stinkin' humans' fault this world's sufferin'!"

The human looked away and tutted.

The garchomp's voice took on a dangerous note. "Get out, or we'll throw you out."

"We won't just throw you out either," said the krokorok. "There'll be nowt left of you when we're done."  
Pixel balled her paw into a fist. She'd seen enough. Abandoning her glass on the bar, she hopped from her perch and trotted over to the garchomp.

The tyranitar turned in his seat, his eyes wide as he watched her. "No, no, no! Kid!"

"Hey!" She came to a stop between the dragon pokemon and the human. "Leave him alone."  
The garchomp's eyes widened with surprise briefly. A chuckle escaped his mouth and he glanced back at his friends.

"Look at this! This little runt here wants us to leave this vermin alone!"  
Pixel's jaw dropped. " _Vermin?_ "  
The human snorted. "You should be more offended about them calling you a runt."  
She waved him off. "In what way are humans vermin? There's hardly any of them in this world."  
The garchomp leant towards her, the smell of fermented berries thick on his breath. "They brought a disease with 'em!"

She grimaced as her eyes watered and pushed him back firmly by the snout. "They didn't bring the virus with them."

He spread his arms wide in a shrug. "Then where's it come from? Eh?!"

"Where did pokerus come from? Or the common cold?"

"Pokerus don't harm ya. And the cold only harms the sickly." He crossed his arms again and leant towards her. "My big brother, however, caught that wretched virus and now his hide is made of ice!"

She pointed behind her at the human. "It doesn't mean he's got anything to do with it."

"Leave it." The human stood up and fired the garchomp a glance. "I know when I'm not welcome. I'm leaving."

The garchomp shoved Pixel aside and she stumbled into a chair with a yelp.

"No yer not!" he boomed. "I've changed my mind! We're gonna pound yer wretched bones into dust."

The human looked back at the garchomp and gave an irritated sigh. He span as the dragon pokemon lurched at him, raising his arms to defend himself against his sharp claws.

Pixel pushed herself from the floor and leapt between them, raising her horn up in an arc to strike the garchomp on the chin. He keeled back from her into the krokorok and the pair of them fell into their table.

The resounding crash was followed by a couple of squeals as many of the bar's occupants made the wise decision to leave. Only the card-playing gang, the tyranitar and the sandslash decided to stay, watching the events unfold. Even the two maractus were nowhere to be seen.

Pixel's heart pounded as she watched the dragon push himself back up. He wiped blood from his lips with a claw and spat onto the dusty floor, fixing her in a yellow leer.

"You have no idea what you've just got yerself into, squirt." He rounded on his friends. "Deal with her! I'll sort the human scum out!"  
Pixel braced herself as the krokorok and heliolisk raced at her, sparks dancing on the reptile's body as his frill fanned out and flashed with a blinding light. She closed her eyes and span, catching one of them in the jaws of her horn and swinging him blindly round over her head before she released him to crash into the table. As the dazzle spots cleared from her eyes she realised with a wave of relief she'd caught the heliolisk. He lay sparking on top of the garchomp who spat a chain of insults as he turfed the reptile off him. She brought her arms up to block the krokorok's snapping jaws and tossed him towards his fallen comrade, knocking the garchomps feet out from beneath him.

"Not bad," said the human.

"Okay." Keeping her eye on the riled dragon, she turned to the door. "I think we can go now."  
The human placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think so."

She followed his gaze to the door. The two cacturne and the krookodile stood barring their way, the krookodile's maw flashing two rows of sharp teeth.

"Pick on my little brother?" he growled. "You've got some nerve!"  
Pixel glanced back at the dazed krokorok and put two and two together. She gulped and looked back at the large crocodile. The garchomp was currently pulling himself to his feet behind them, and his two friends were only dazed. If they managed to pull themselves together, she'd be rather outnumbered.

"I can deal with the cacturne," said the human. "You sort out the krookodile."  
Pixel looked up at him sharply. "What?"

Her attention was drawn to a chunky watch on his right wrist. He pressed a small button on it and his body distorted and shrank down, turning a dramatic red and black. Two wings shot out to the side as he rose into the air, flames dancing around his body and emanating off him to engulf the two cacturne. As the flames subsided, she got a good look at the creature flying above her.

A talonflame! She shook her head in disbelief. That human was a _talonflame_?  
"Watch out, lass!"

She jerked her head around as the tyaranitar bounded past her and collided with the garchomp, beating him back with his tail. The Sandslash had already intersected the heliolisk during her confusion.

She shook herself and turned back to the krookodile who was trying in vain to swat the talonflame. Spinning so her horn was facing him, she lurched towards him and caught him in her jaws, swinging him behind her and clearing the way to the doors.

As they burst outside, the gang of riled pokemon flowed after them. The gabite beside the door leapt back with a squeak and the hat fell off his head to be caught in a sudden breeze. Their yells filled the street as they clambered over one another to get to the fleeing mawile and talonflame. Pixel felt a pair of claws fasten over her shoulders and she was lifted into the air with a yelp. The krokorok skidded face first in the dirt as his tackle missed her, dragging up sand to reveal the tarmac beneath it.

She looked up at the talonflame's mottled stomach and felt a smile spread across her face.

"Thanks!" she said.

He glanced down at her and winked. "Don't mention it. I should be thanking you! So, where are you heading? I don't imagine you're staying in Raster?"  
She shook her head. "No. If you just drop me over there," she pointed to a spot in the desert cast in a heavy shadow from Cyan Island, "that would be great!"

"What? In the desert?" He frowned. "I don't think the desert is a good place for a steel type. Besides, the pokemon there are as rough as they are in the town."

"I'll be able to get back home from there," she explained. "I live on that drifting continent."  
A look of realisation crossed his face as he looked up at the massive floating island and he beat his wings, rising higher into the air.

"What are you doing?!" She wriggled in his grip.

"Taking you home!"  
"It's authorised pokemon only!"  
"I'm with you aren't I?" He chuckled. "You can vouch for me!"

Cyan Island grew closer and closer as the talonflame sped towards it creating a growing dread over her. The secret base of the Cyan Investigation Squad, unknown to those who didn't reside on the island, at risk of being discovered by a human.

A human...

She looked back up at the flying pokemon as her mind reeled with confusion.

He glanced back down at her. "Did I hear you talking about a missing pokemon?"

"Huh?" Her mind snapped back into reality and she nodded with a jerk. "Yes! We're missing three pokemon actually."

"But you were only asking for one?"

"There was no point asking about all three," she said. "I was told no newcomers had been in for weeks."

"Huh." He inclined his head on one side. "I travel a lot so I might be able to help you. What pokemon are they?"

She pursed her lips and watched the base draw closer. "A charmander, a buneary and a mew."

His wings went rigid and he swerved precariously, giving Pixel a good view of the desert below. Her stomach lurched into her throat as he lost altitude and she yelled, clutching at his claws with her paws in a desperate bid to not hit the ground. He regained his composure and lifted them back up above the continent again.

"A _mew_?" he gasped.

She tore her eyes from the ground and looked up at him, taking in his wide, surprised eyes. "I guess you haven't seen her then?"

He fired her a confused glance and looked back at the drifting continent. "No... no, I haven't seen a mew."  
They flew in silence for a moment, and when the solid ground of Cyan Island appeared below them, he dipped down towards it and her feet finally touched the soft grass. He landed beside her with a thud as he took on his human form and cast his eyes over the little houses at the far end of the island and the tower on their right, separated by a massive meadow.

"So, tell me." He turned on the spot to face her. "How are you friends with a mew?"

"I can't go into detail," she said. "She's a friend of ours, and she's missing. She went to Raster with Nano and Chip and they didn't come back. That's all I can tell you."

He looked away from her, back out at the sky as it passed them by. "Let's hope she's not fallen victim to the virus."  
She stared at him silently, her eyes trailing down his arm and lingering on his watch. She realised she'd been staring too long when he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

"How -" She paused and cleared her throat. "How do you change form like that?"

He closed his eyes and smirked. "Science."  
Her eyes widened in a questioning stare.

"It's common knowledge that when humans came into this world some stayed as humans and some were turned into pokemon." He gave her a smile. "But a small number manage to change between the two."

"How small a number?" she asked.

"Two." He looked away again. "It was actually a huge problem, because neither of us had control of it. It would happen randomly, sometimes in quick succession. Fortunately I found someone who could help stabilize it to such a degree I can go back and forth at the push of a button."

"And what about the other human?"  
He was silent as he stared out at the sky. Finally he crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he said, quite flatly, "Quarantine."

Pixel played with the hem of her scarf, staring at its pattern of pink squares and rectangles against a blue background. "They got the virus?"

"No." He scratched his head and sighed. "Some humans just can't handle being here. Anyway. I need to go back, otherwise they're going to be sending out a search party." He smiled at her and gave her a wink. "Now I know who you're looking for, I'll let you know if I find them."

"Wait!" She grabbed his sleeve as he went to raise his watch. "You never told me your name."  
He laughed. "It's Switch."

She released his sleeve and smiled. "Pixel."  
"All right, Pixel. Then I'll be seeing you!" He rose into the air as his talonflame form solidified and span to face her, beating at the air with his strong wings. "I don't imagine this continent will be hard to find if I have information for you?"

She shook her head and smiled. "But I need to remind you-"

"I know, I know." He nodded. "Authorised pokemon only."

She laughed and he gave her a grin. With another wink, he did a backflip and took off through the sky, performing a small corkscrew as he vanished behind a cloud.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	3. Gateway

**A/N - Thanks for the faves and reviews on this fanfiction already! =D I'm sorry I feel unable to update more than once a week just yet. I'm hoping to get enough written in the near future to make it a twice-weekly update.**

 **Just in case there are any readers wondering while reading this chapter, the name for the character N00b is pronounced 'Noob'.**

2 - Gateway

Leaf almost dropped his headphones. "You brought a _human_ here?"

Pixel leant back against the sliding doors and crossed her arms. "I didn't _bring_ him here. He _flew_ me here then left."

"Argh." Leaf closed his eyes and popped his headphones back over his ears. "I can't believe you breached security like that. And a human of all things?"

"I told him it was authorised pokemon only. I'm guessing that's why he didn't stick around."

He ran a paw over his face with a flustered sigh.

"Besides." She narrowed her eyes at the ivysaur. "You're not one of those who believe humans brought the virus here are you? I mean... there have been humans living in System for more than a decade, and the virus only cropped up a month ago."

Leaf sighed and shifted under the gaze of Pixel and the emolga twins. He turned back to the control deck and scrolled absently through pages of text.

"There's not enough evidence to support either side," he said. "We don't know if humans carry the virus or if they can even be affected by it. All we know is three of our members are lying in quarantine while another three have gone missing."

She looked away from him and stared at the blank wall. It wasn't unusual for pokemon to react negatively to humans. Since they appeared in System, they'd been forced to live alongside them. Some of them were transformed into pokemon, while many others received such a shock as they were dragged through the fracture they went into comas and had been filling hospital wards for twelve years. Finding one outside the form of a pokemon was an anomaly in itself and Leaf clearly didn't like it.

It was probably better to change the subject.

"Where do you want me to go next?" she asked.

"Call it a day." He flicked a claw on one of the hologram screens, making the text move so quickly she wondered if he was even reading it. "There are a couple of new situations that have cropped up but they're a good way away yet. I might assign Nybble and Byte to them actually."

The two emolga span sharply in their seats on either side of him, giving him identical stares of bewilderment.

"You don't need us here?" they asked simultaneously.

"What about the communication system?" Nybble asked.

"You might need me to answer the phone!" said Byte.

Leaf laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Calm down. We're short staffed right now!" He looked back at Pixel. "Besides. I need you in case any news on Retro, Nano or Chip comes up. My heart skips a beat whenever I hear of new cases showing up at the hospitals and quarantine." His voice dropped in volume as he muttered to himself, "We might not even be able to recognise them any more."

Pixel felt her stomach tie in knots. She turned and scanned the door open.

"I'll be at home if you need me."

Leaf waved a paw behind him. "I'll let you know when we start drawing close to Meta City."

She quickly glanced the map, catching the blinking dot as it drifted east towards a digital sketched drawing of a group of tower blocks. Meta City. System's main metropolis. If you were looking for it, it was probably there. Somehow she felt they weren't visiting simply for a shopping trip. She turned and paused with one paw on the door and glanced back at Leaf. He had his back to her, still tapping away at the holographic screens.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow at her over his shoulder.

"For bringing someone to the base," she explained. "I'm sorry."

He chuckled and waved her off. "Forget about it. No harm done. See you in the morning."

She grinned and trotted from the room as the door hissed shut behind her. Since he'd let her off early, there were a good couple of hours of sunlight left yet. Its rays danced across the grass and cast long shadows from the trees and little houses. She threw herself down into one of the beams and let out a long sigh as she stared up at the sky. Not a single grey cloud threatened her relaxing afternoon.

It wasn't long before the warm sunlight had lulled her to sleep.

...

The small city of Spool squatted on the outskirts of System's bustling metropolis. So far it had no recorded cases of the virus. Meta did a good job of keeping the virus contained within the hospital wards. That filled Switch with relief. Spool had its own problems.

He released his talonflame form and landed in a crouch at the mouth of an alley between a boarded up book store and a beauty salon that even at this time of night stunk of acrylic. He crinkled his nose and moved away from it down the narrow alley, shutting out the jeering voices from the stunky and rattata pair across the street and keeping a careful eye on the piled up bin bags and overflowing trash cans.

Sirens blared in the distance, growing in volume as the emergency group – police, hospital, he didn't know which it was – drew closer.

One of the bins opened beside him and he stepped back, bringing his fists up to his chest. Two long ears twitched as a trubbish peered out at him, then turned its eyes in the direction of the sirens.

"I didn't do anything!" he wailed.

Switch lowered his arms and turned away. "Then stay in the trash can, Kurg."

The trubbish grunted and pulled the lid back over himself.

Giving a small sigh of relief, Switch continued down the alley until his eyes fell on an open manhole cover. He muttered under his breath and climbed onto the ladder, dragging the cover back over the hole with a loud clatter. The fetid smell of the sewers filled his nose, urging him to speed up. He dropped the rest of the way, the metal grate clattering under his weight. It was a short trot around the corner to a thick cable hanging down from another manhole cover. This one, however, had been put in place fairly recently. He shimmied up it and shoved the lid out of the way, breathing in musty air as he clambered out of the sewers and into a dark corridor. Lights blinked from the room on his left, generated merely from seven computer screens.

The small room housed two long desks each holding up computers that were retro in design compared to the holographic screens most pokemon operated, however only two were currently occupied. A helioptile and lillipup nattered amongst themselves while the helioptile worked on a strange device at the back of the room. The lillipup had a diagram of it open on his computer screen, but seemed more interested in the conversation they were having which was heavily dominated by the lillipup. The device closely resembled a very old camera, except it didn't have a lens and where the flash would be was instead a large round disc with lots of small bulbs around the perimeter. Ignoring the conversation around him was a pikachu dressed in a suit, sat in a high backed chair with his back to the door. Connor, the very definition of a hermit. He'd founded the small group and made the building impossible to leave or enter without taking a detour through the sewers.

The lillipup turned his head as Switch entered the room and a grin spread across his face while his tail turned into a blur behind him.

"Oh! You're back!"

"Who left the manhole cover open?" he asked.

The lillipup lowered his head and his ears drooped. "Oops..."

"Switch!" The pikachu span in his chair, his look contrasting that of the lillipup as he gave him a frown.

"What?" Switch asked. "No wagging tail?"

Connor practically bristled. "Where is it?"

Switch let out a sigh and fell down into one of the spare chairs.

"The component," Connor demanded. "You said you were going to Raster for it. Where is it?"

Switch closed his eyes and shrugged. "I didn't get it."

"Then what did you go all the way out there for?"

"The pokemon that had put out the advert for the dynamo wasn't there," Switch explained. "And I had no time to go looking for him either. They don't exactly give humans a warm welcome."  
Connor slammed his paw into his face and groaned. "You moron! You went full-human didn't you! I made you that watch so you could stick to one shape."

" _You_ try picking up a glass without fingers."

Connor looked down at his paws and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Or paws," Switch added.

Connor leapt from his seat and took a couple of steps towards him, electricity bouncing off his cheeks. Switch did a quick mental calculation of how long it would take him to reach the door.

"Sometimes I think you find this funny!" screeched the pikachu.  
"Funny? I'm stuck in this world just like you are."

Connor snorted and strutted back to his chair. "You don't act like it."  
The other two pokemon had been sat silently watching the heated discussion, looking back and forth between them. Connor rounded on them and narrowed his eyes.

"Come on! We've got work to do! Diode, focus on getting that laser to work. And N00b..."

The lillipup's tongue lolled from his mouth in a grin while he excitedly wagged his tail.

Connor waved a paw at him and looked away. "Make me some coffee."

The little terrier bolted from the room towards the adjoining kitchen. Switch watched him go, briefly wondering if he needed a hand. The sound of shattering pottery solidified his curiosity and he caught a glimpse of Connor ramming his head into the computer's keyboard.

Switch pushed himself to his feet and went to assist N00b in the kitchen, relieving the lillipup of his duties and suggesting he sweep the floor instead.

Within minutes, Connor had a steaming cup of coffee and Switch returned to his desk, mug in one hand as he logged into his computer and loaded up information on the Fracture.

Nothing new.

Nothing about that flash.

Several more pokemon infected with the virus.

"Do you even want to go back home?" Connor asked quietly.

Switch looked over at him.

"I've asked you countless times," the pikachu went on. "And I'm beginning to doubt your answer."

Switch shrugged and turned back to absently scroll through the news. "Don't we all want to go back?"

"That's why I'm asking you. You seem to have accepted your fate here. You changed your name. You've been helping me for three years and I don't even know your human name." Connor turned his head to look at him. "What is it?"

Switch avoided his gaze and sipped at his hot coffee.

The pikachu tutted. "Surely you have someone to go back to, right? Family, like the rest of us? I was on vacation with friends. My parents are probably worried sick."

"Then we'll find a way back," said Switch. "It'll probably go a lot faster if you got out there, or extended our team a bit."  
The pikachu stared down at his paws.

"You don't need to keep relying on us three," said Switch. "I'm sure you can find more pokemon to add to the team if you just ask."

Connor's fur stood on end. "I'm not leaving this building."

"Why? What are you scared of?"

Connor picked up his cup and stared silently into the steaming contents. Whatever his problem was, he'd been hiding it for years. Switch wasn't going to find it out any time soon.

"I can put an advert out!" said N00b. "That'll find us some friends! Right?"

"No!" Connor rounded on him. "Gateway is a secret group! You put an advert out, you'll ruin everything. We'll have rioters down here in a heartbeat!"

The little lillipup cowered in his seat and looked away. Diode gave him a reassuring tap on the shoulder and they both returned to their work.

Switch gave a flustered sigh and sipped his coffee. "Not every pokemon hates humans, Connor."

He clicked his mouse, opening up the list of virus-ridden pokemon that had found themselves quarantined in hospitals. Unfortunately, in a bid to find their identity, pictures had been shared with a warning that some were distressing. He quickly scrolled through them absently, hoping to find something they'd missed that would shed some light on where it had come from.

One image caused him to choke on his drink, and hot coffee fired from his nose to spatter over the computer screen. The words accompanying it brought back the conversation he'd had with the mawile only hours before.

Connor and the other two span in their chairs to face him.

"What?" The pikachu left his seat to peer over his shoulder.

 _'I travel a lot so I might be able to help you. What pokemon are they?'_

 _She pursed her lips. 'A charmander, a buneary and a mew.'_

Diode and N00b joined his side, the latter placing his paws on the back of Switch's chair and fixing two wide eyes on the computer screen.

He couldn't form words. All he could do was stare at the text that accompanied the sludgy photo of a pokemon that wasn't dealing well with the poison type change.

' _We think this might have been a charmander. Awaiting confirmation._ '

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	4. Broken Sky

**A/N - I've had some feedback that I repeat certain words too much. I am trying to cull them now in upcoming chapters. I will hopefully go back and edit the prologue and first two chapters and fix them up a bit.**

 **Also, you may have noticed this has a cover now. I started posting this to Wattpad when FFnet went down and I thought it needed one. It's the first time I've done one XD**

 **Thanks for all reviews, faves and follows! =D**

3 – Broken Sky

Soft beeping woke Pixel from her dream, and she blinked her eyes open as daylight flooded through her lightweight yellow curtains. A soft smile spread across her lips as she stretched and kicked off her duvet. The motion caused the hologram screen above her bed to activate and throw up lines of text displaying news headlines, many of which were dated today. She waved an arm to scroll through them quickly, looking for mission opportunities and any sign of their missing members.

Most of them listed the spread of the virus that caused her smile to falter and she pushed herself up, yawning widely as she dropped onto her feet and grabbed the scarf and goggles she'd discarded on her desk chair.

A short stop in the kitchen rewarded her with two slices of berry bread and cheri jam. She'd finished one slice before she stepped out of the front door, and just as she was tucking into the second one, a movement to her right caught her eye. She paused in the long grass of the meadow, squinting into the clouds. Something was flying this high habitually? That wasn't normal.

Giving the flying pokemon another glance, she trotted towards the tower, stuffing the rest of the bread in her mouth simply to free her paws should she need to use them.

She pushed the button on the strap of her goggles and Leaf's voice rang near her ear.

"Good morning, Pixel! Is something wrong?"

"Someone's flying towards us," she said.

Leaf made an exclamation of mild surprise. "Who'd be flying this high up?"

The microphone picked up another smaller voice from one of the emolga. "Maybe they're scared of flying beneath us in case the continent falls from the sky and lands on them?"

Leaf chuckled. "I think that's just _your_ fear, Nybble."

"Can we focus?" Pixel demanded. "They're getting closer."

"Give them time. They might fly away from us," said Leaf. "Hurry up. We've had some new requests arrive this morning."

Pixel released the button and picked up her pace, tearing her eyes away from the flying pokemon. Whoever it was didn't seem to be that much closer by the time she reached the door. Maybe Leaf was right? Maybe they were moving away?  
Light flickered from the weak bulb on the stairwell, distorting her shadow as she trotted down them. When she reached the control room she was feeling quite breathless.

The emolga twins raised their eyebrows at her.

"Did they chase you?" Nybble asked.

"They're not on the security footage," said Byte. "I think she's just being fraidy like you."  
Nybble elbowed him in the ribs.

Leaf ushered Pixel to sit beside him and pointed to the screen. "We've got a request to find a missing vulpix. Her mother is worried sick, and thinks she might be in the outskirts of Meta City."

"The outskirts?" She felt a small shudder run through her. She didn't quite fancy a stroll through 'the badlands'. Raster was bad enough.

"You may need to ask around there," said Leaf. "I've loaded up the recent pokemon placed in quarantine in Meta's two largest hospitals. There is no sign of a vulpix."

She watched the photos scroll by, many of which were unrecognisable. He flicked through them at such a pace they seemed to blur together with the text. But one word leapt out at her and she lurched forward, grabbing the ivysaur's large paw in a bid to stop the whirring text.

"Scroll back up!" she squeaked.

Leaf obeyed, moving slowly back up the screen. Her fears solidified as she read over the word 'charmander' several times before looking away from the screen.

"Did you not see that one?" she asked.

Leaf scratched his head as he stared at the gruesome image. "Yes. It was quite late though. I don't think it registered in my mind."

The two emolga sat frozen to their seats.

"It's not Nano, is it?" Nybble asked.

"I don't know." Leaf turned to Pixel and cleared his throat. "Could you go and check? Scan them and see if it picks up her data chip? I'll send the twins to find the vulpix."

"What?!" Nybble gasped.

"Really?" added Byte.

Leaf looked round at them. "Don't worry yourselves. Grab your head sets." He turned back to Pixel. "Is that okay? It's not too upsetting for you?"

"We need to know if it's Nano or not, don't we?" She pushed herself from her seat. "How long until we're over the city?"

"We're moving over it now." He pointed a claw to the map. "I was going to wait until we were in a convenient enough location for you to reach the outskirts, but now plans have changed, you may as well disembark."

She gave a nod and stood up. "Which hospital does it say the charmander's at?"

Leaf checked the information once more. "Central Meta Hospital."

"Okay." Pixel adjusted her goggles over her eyes and sprinted from the room. With one glance back, she forced a smile. "I'll keep you informed!"

She reached the drop point and held onto the beam as it let her drop with the familiar resounding flash as each beam appeared in place. Her mind was elsewhere as she thought about the poor charmander's fate. A whoosh by her face snapped her back to reality and she yelled as two large red wings flapped around her.

"Pixel?"

She shook her head sharply as she looked up at the talonflame desperately trying to keep up with her.

"Switch?!" She glanced down at the floor as it rose up rapidly towards her. "What are you doing here?"  
"I came to tell you something." His words came in fragmented bursts as he strained to talk over the effort of keeping up.

"Wait until we're on the ground," she said.

It didn't take long. When her feet touched concrete, the ladder vanished beam by beam behind her, and Switch landed beside her in his human form, doubled over with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Passing pokemon shot him curious looks and some made the effort to cross the busy streets to pass on the other side.

"So what is it?" she asked him.

He stood up to his full height and adjusted his scarf. "I read there's a charmander arrived in quarantine." He gave her a smile. "I told you I'd be back if I heard anything."  
"Yes, that's why I'm here."

"Argh." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I worried as much. I guess I wasted the trip."

"Maybe." She grinned up at him. "But I appreciate it. You didn't fly too far, did you?"

"Not really." He closed his eyes and folded his hands behind his head. "I should probably head back then."  
"Okay. Well, thanks for your help."

She rummaged through her bag to make sure she had the handheld computer and turned away from him, making her way along the busy street. The main vehicles trundling along were automated, delivering produce to the massive superstores, stopping only at lights or when the more daring pokemon would rush along in front of them. Thankfully their sensitive sensors prevented dangerous collisions. The only other traffic were young pokemon riding hover boards and the tauros, gogoat and bouffalant that made their earnings pulling rickshaws through the city.

A skidoo skipped up and down the street firing adverts at the passers by. He quickly garbled out something about 'seeing the sights' as she walked past him, and she gave him a polite wave and stuffed one of his fliers in her bag.

"It certainly feels different here to the smaller cities," said Switch.

She looked up at him with a jerk, her eyes widening in surprise. "You're still here?"

"Turns out we're heading the same way. Central Meta Hospital, am I right?" He chuckled at her blank expression. "I pass it on the way."

She gave him a small smile. "Where are you headed?"

"Spool City."

"The outskirts? You don't look like you belong there."

He turned his attention back on the sidewalk, nimbly dodging an excited sentret and his mother.

"I'm an adventurer for hire," he explained. "You might even call me an 'adventurer of many talents.'"

"Talents that landed you in Spool City?"

He laughed. "You could say that. The pokemon I'm doing a job for resides there."

Pixel looked away sharply. "Oh..."

He laughed again and shook his head. "Don't worry. I can't go into detail but I can assure you he's not a shady character."

She glanced back at the drifting continent as it moved along in the sky behind them. "Well I guess that's fair. I can't give you the details about my work either."  
They stopped at a junction as two lorries rolled past. The massive vehicles came to an abrupt halt as a group of pedestrians decided they simply couldn't wait. Red lights flashed in the rear of the lorries, creating a domino effect along the line of traffic and bringing everything behind them to a stand still. Pixel decided to join the flow of pedestrians as the traffic signal changed to green and rang out with a shrill whistle, just audible over the drone of voices and engines.

This area of the city was filled with superstores and entertainment shops, which meant the streets were crammed with shoppers. Some pokemon had stopped to watch the advertisement billboards causing a roadblock of standing pedestrians that Pixel and Switch had to move single file to get through, bumping elbows and catching heels with strangers. Across the road, a meowth bellowed an announcement into a megaphone for the latest video games in his arcade. Above him a screen looped through a battle between a lucario in a cape and a blaziken.

Pixel rounded a corner into a much less busy street with a narrow sidewalk, catching the large sign that indicated 'Central Meta Hospital' was only a short walk away. The quieter atmosphere offered a breath of fresh air and she warred with the desire to enjoy it and the urgency of her mission.

The narrow street ended with a chain of white and red bollards marking a dead end to a one way street. On the left stood a line of emergency ambulances and on the right loomed the grand white building of the hospital with its tall glass doors.

"Well." Switch stopped beside her with his hands still tucked behind his head and stared up at the hospital. "This is where we part ways."

Pixel nodded and absently checked the computer was still tucked safely in her bag.

"I'm not sure what to say," Switch went on. "If it is your friend, at least you know where they are. But that virus... I kind of hope they're _not_ who you're looking for at the same time."  
She wound the end of her scarf around her paws as she stared at the foreboding doors. A growing sense of dread was washing over her and she licked her dry lips. "Then we're of the same mindset."

A chill ran over her, causing her fur to prickle down her back. If it was Nano, then... she grit her teeth and tugged at the fabric of her scarf.

No cure... there was no known cure...

"Are you all right?"

Switch was still standing next to her, eyeing her with a look of concern. She forced a smile and was about to speak, but all that came out was a non-committal grunt.

"Look, I know you don't really know me," he went on, "but I'm not in any rush. If it helps, I can go in with you. At least you won't be alone, and after you saved my hide yesterday I kinda feel like I owe you a favour."

She cast him a sideways glance as she ran this over in her mind.

"And afterwards, if you need to take your mind off things, we can visit that games arcade." He smiled. "Although few have beat me at Pocket Brawlers."  
She chuckled. "All right. I probably won't be very long anyway."

A buzz resounded in her ear and she leapt slightly.

"Pixel?" Leaf's voice asked.

She pushed the button on her goggle strap. "Yes?"

"Is everything okay? Your tracker says you're at the hospital, but you've not gone inside yet."

"Everything's fine, Leaf. I just needed a moment to gather myself. I'm heading in now."

"Okay. Take your time, don't rush yourself. The base is heading towards the outskirts of Meta City now, so when you're done you may need to hitch a ride to catch up with us."

"I'll figure something out. Take care, Leaf." She released the button and glanced up at Switch. "That was my friend making sure I'm okay."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"We'll see soon enough."

The doors opened and closed with a gentle whir from their well-oiled motors. A wigglytuff greeted them from behind a desk with a jubilant wave.

"Good morning!" she said. "How can I help you?"  
"I'm here about the charmander you've got in quarantine," Pixel explained.

"Oh!" The wigglytuff tried to mask her surprise behind a professional smile and tapped on a hologram pad, the keys lighting up under her touch. "The species is yet to be confirmed. Are they a friend of yours?"

Pixel ran a paw over the back of her head and diverted her gaze to the wall. "They might be."

"Is your friend going with you?" The wigglytuff eyed Switch curiously.

"Moral support." He winked.

The receptionist cleared her throat and looked back at her screen. There was a short beep and she looked back up at them, her eyes closed in a smile.

"Follow the right corridor around to the quarantine area. A doctor will meet you there shortly."  
They thanked her and followed her directions down the pristine white and chrome corridor. A few rooms span off from it, all with 'restricted access' printed in red on the doors. Each one was eerily silent as they passed, and Pixel could feel herself growing more and more uneasy.

The waiting area had only a scattering of seats, and she dragged herself up into one while Switch plonked down beside her. She kicked her legs unable to keep still, looking left and right at the various screens that displayed moving posters with health warnings and advice. Deciding it was too hard to stay sat down, she leapt up and paced back and forth with her paws clasped behind her back. Switch seemed to be feigning obliviousness as he sat tapping at the screen of a small pocket computer tablet.

A door whirred open to her left and she froze, following the noise with her eyes. A gallade strolled into the waiting area and looked at Switch and Pixel in turn.

"You're here to see the 'charmander'?" he asked.

Pixel nodded. "Yes. I'm worried she might be a friend of mine."

"Gender and identity is still unknown," the doctor explained.

"That's why I want to see them. I'm going to scan their data chip."

The gallade waved a paw. "Already done it. It's useless."

Her arms fell to her side as her heart sank. Switch's eyes burned into the side of her head as he watched her silently. Finally he stood up and was about to address the doctor when she finally found her words.

"Maybe I..." She looked back at the doctor. "If you could let me at least try?"

He nodded. "I can let you _try_ , yes. If you would follow me? You'll need to wear hazmat suits."

They followed him through the mechanical doors and down a corridor that looked identical to the one they'd left.

"My name is Doctor Hertz. I head the quarantine department here. The pokemon you are visiting is one of many to have arrived recently, and if they are a friend of yours..." He stopped at a door and flashed his name card at it. It hissed open, revealing a curtain of heavy plastic. "I hope you have a strong stomach, Miss."  
Pixel gulped and followed him through the curtain.

White hazmat suits with heavy clear masks hung on the walls in varying sizes. He pulled down a small one, muttering something about her size then looked over at Switch.

"We don't get many human visitors, nor do we have any working here. I'm afraid the largest suit we have is for a pokemon of the size and build of a zoroark. If you think you can squeeze into it, they do have some give to them."

"I thought it didn't affect humans?" Switch asked.

"Such theories are mere speculation. If you're going in, wear this."

Switch excused himself behind the curtain while Pixel pulled on the small suit and zipped the helmet over her head. The gallade beside her did the same and checked her to make sure everything was fastened where it should be. When Switch stepped back into the room, she had to stifle a chuckle. The suit was quite loose around the shoulders where it was built to provide room for a zoroark's immense amount of fur. As for the height, it had managed to give quite well. Hertz gave him a quick once over and nodded as he pulled the next set of curtains aside.

"All right!" said Switch, rather cheerfully. "Let's check on this charmander."

Hertz raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't think it warrants much enthusiasm. If this pokemon is indeed a friend of yours, they are in no fit state, and as you know there is no cure for this virus yet."

The door slid open, revealing rows of white beds in a room with bare white walls, each one separated by a white curtain. Pokemon filled the beds, chained up to drips and heart monitors. Pixel couldn't help but notice some of them were linked to life support machines, highlighting how severe their situation really was.

Hertz stopped beside a closed curtain and ushered Pixel towards it.

"This is the patient you requested to see."

She swallowed drily as he pulled the curtain aside, and her paw instinctively went to her mouth.

If it was meant to be a charmander, the only sign it may have been one was the size and head shape. The pokemon had no arms to speak of, and their tail and legs were hidden away under the damp duvet. Their entire body had been turned purple and seemed to have the consistency of a muk or grimer. The machine wired up to their body beeped in rhythm to the infected pokemon's steady heartbeat, the only sign they were still alive at all. The sight caused her heart to break.

Putting on a mask of professionalism, she pulled out her computer and pushed herself forward, scanning the holographic screen over the 'charmander'. The device beeped and her heart raced as she snatched her eyes to the screen. The word 'error' stood out in large red letters.

She grit her teeth in frustration. Was this pokemon her friend or was she still out there? With a sigh she stuffed the computer back into her bag and looked over at Hertz and Switch.

"You're right," she said. "Their data chip must have been corrupted."

The gallade nodded. "I'm sorry we can't be of more help."  
Pixel gave one last look at the poor pokemon as the curtain was whipped back around them, and followed Hertz from the room. He stopped them between the door and the curtain and a clear gas washed over them.

Once they had removed their suits, Pixel turned to the doctor.

"If you find out who they are, please contact me." She handed him a small card. "We're missing a few pokemon, and we're desperately trying to find out what's happened to them."

He took it with a nod and slipped it into his pocket. "Any others you would like me to keep an eye out for?"

She shook her head. "We'll keep an eye on the lists. I don't want to put you out."

"Well, the offer's there." He placed a paw on her back and steered her from the room. "Although I do want to say I hope we don't see you again. I sincerely hope your missing friends are okay."

She flashed him a smile. "Thanks for your help, doctor."

He waved and ducked back into the room, leaving her standing once more in the waiting area.

Switch looked down at her and shrugged. "I'm sorry we're non-the-wiser."

She sighed and headed down the corridor. "Don't worry about it. If it's not her, then there's hope she's still alive and well somewhere." She shuddered and hugged herself. "Although I doubt I'll be able to get that image out of my head any time soon."

"Hey, the offer for a game of Pocket Brawlers is still there."

She chuckled and let her arms relax to her sides. "I might take you up on that offer."  
He grinned. "Like I said, few have beaten me."

The breeze from the air conditioning washed over them as they entered the reception and the wigglytuff gave them a huge smile. She waved them farewell as they slipped out through the doors into the street.

Switch took in a huge breath and stretched. "Ah! Fresh air!" He chuckled drily and let his arms fall to his sides. "Sorry, I don't do well in hospitals."  
"You didn't need to come in," said Pixel.

"Well, let's get to the arcade. I'm itching for a good game."

She laughed and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. As she turned away to head towards the main street, she felt a firm hand grab her shoulder. She looked back at Switch and he released her, standing up straight, but his eyes were fixed on a spot above the buildings. She followed his gaze and her heart leapt into her throat.

A black, jagged line vanished beyond the high roofs of the department stores, glowing with a deep violet light.

"What... what's that?" she stammered out.

"I don't know..."

Switch warped into his talonflame form and spread his wings wide. She reached out and grabbed one, halting his rise into the air.

"You're not investigating it are you?" she squeaked.

"Are you kidding? Of course I am! It wasn't there earlier, and I want to know what it is!"  
She released his wing and took a step back, meeting his golden eyes. "Then take me."  
He inclined his head on one side, his beak slightly open as he considered turning her away. With a sharp nod, he lowered himself to the ground.

"Get on."

She clambered onto his back and he launched himself into the air with such speed her breath was snatched away from her. When he gained enough altitude he paused enough for her to catch her breath and moved over the buildings, leaving the busiest part of the city behind as he headed towards the outskirts. The jagged black line vanished beyond the buildings and always seemed to be ahead of them.

"I'm going to have to get higher," he said. "Hold on."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he launched himself upwards like a dart. When he levelled out, lorries in the city below them looked minute. The jagged line was as clear as day now, still ahead of them and curving down towards the ground well outside the city. From this height they could see the outskirts, the berry fields in the suburbs and the lumpy trail of the Backbone Mountain. That was where the jagged line ended, joining more of its kind stretching back towards the Fracture hidden away in the distance.

Pixel pressed her paw to her chest as she took in the scene. Those jagged lines... they seemed so wrong.

"What are they?" she gasped.

Switch shook his head in disbelief.

"The Fracture... that virus... those strange cracks..." Her head began to feel light and she felt herself slumping forwards. "What's happening to the world?"  
He lifted his head to look back at her. "Pixel? Are you all right?"

"I don't..." Her grip on his feathers began to slack as her vision blurred.

"Hold on!"

He twisted towards the ground and she felt herself losing her grip. She didn't remember even hitting the ground.

...

It wasn't right.

It just wasn't right.

Vector pushed himself through the streets of Meta City, staying as close as he could to the quieter areas. The looks he was getting off the passing pokemon were enough to turn his blood to ice. Parents snatched their hatchlings out of the way, many crossed to the other side of the streets.

He placed a paw on the wall of an office block to steady himself as he tried to get his breath back. Days... he'd been walking for days... no, weeks... and he felt wrong.

The hold-up in the rough towns of the outskirts only served to emphasise that fact. Battle after battle had made him feel ill.

The claws of his black paw dug into the concrete surface as he stared at his fur – black and white. White with black markings. It didn't feel like his own body.

It was wrong.

He swayed as he pushed himself back from the building, dragging himself down the quiet streets and bumping between two red and white bollards, stopping only to glance at the sign that marked the giant building of the Central Meta Hospital.

...

Please R&R! =D


	5. A Plan of Questionable Morals

**A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! =D**

4 – A Plan of Questionable Morals

Pixel's eyes were dazzled by the harsh light from the halogen bulbs, made all the more intense by the pristine white walls and tiled floors. Her heavy paw flopped across her face, shutting out the worst of it as she let out a low groan. Her head felt like someone had stuffed it with cotton wool and a dull pulse thrummed above her ears.

"Ah! You're awake!"  
She removed her paw and squinted to her left. The unmistakable shape of an ivysaur sat all too close to her bed as he leant forward in his chair. This was confusing. She didn't usually have a chair by her bed. She frowned and placed her paw over her eyes again.

"Where am I?" she mumbled.

"Hospital," Leaf answered bluntly. "Apparently you fainted."  
"Fain-" Her arm fell to her side as her eyes flew wide open regardless of the pain in her head, and she pushed herself onto her elbow to look around the bright room. "We were flying! Those cracks..." Feeling light headed again, she let herself flop back onto her pillow, fixing Leaf with a look of panic. "What's happening? Have you seen them?"

He nodded and looked down at his pocket computer. "It's all over the news, but the authorities are assuring us it's nothing to worry about. I don't want you to stress yourself over it. Focus on getting back on your feet so we can get back to our base."

Trying not to worry was much easier said than done. She pushed herself up again and looked around the room. The other beds were empty, and from the looks of it, it was only her and Leaf in the ward.

"Where's Switch?" she asked.

"After I arrived, he left." The ivysaur looked up at her. "Said he had places he needed to be."

She sighed and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. "You didn't give him a hard time, did you?"

"Are you kidding? If he didn't contact me, I'd have no clue you were even here!" He chuckled, drawing a perplexed look from her that prompted an explanation. "He used your headset. Told me you'd fallen from his back, but he assured me you never hit the ground."  
"That's a relief." She pushed herself up with a groan, rubbing her head. "I was worried the impact had concussed me or something."

"No. You're probably dehydrated. You've been out for a couple of hours now. Drink some water and see if the headache goes away."

She accepted a glass from him and downed it in one sitting. He wasn't wrong. She offered her glass for a refill and adjusted her pillow so she could lean against the wall.

Leaf nodded to the table beside her bed. "He left his contact information in case you need it."

She looked over at the table to see a plain scrap of crumpled paper placed beside her bag. Scrawled on it was a number she assumed was for Switch's pocket computer. It would certainly be convenient, and would save him any more wasted flights. She chuckled and stuffed it in her bag, then leant back and sipped her water.

"Who's at the headquarters?" she asked.

Leaf grimaced and looked away. "No one. Nybble and Byte are on the vulpix mission. I headed down here as fast as I could."  
"So... Cyan Island is...?"

He laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well outside the city. We'll have to hitch a ride if we want to catch up to it."

Pixel felt a looming sense of dread as she stared into her glass. "Those black lines aren't in its circuit are they?"

"Nope. No need to worry there."  
The door opened and they both looked up at it in unison. Hertz the gallade strode in, but he didn't look up at either of them as his attention was fixed on a holographic screen in his paws.

"Pixel?" he asked.

"Hmm?" She lowered her glass. "Am I ready to go?"

"I'm not your doctor," he said. "Your nurse will be through shortly. I'm here to see if one of your missing friends is a meowstic?" He finally looked up at her.

She stared back at him for a moment then shook her head. "No. Why?"

"I just wanted to check." He looked back down at the screen and pressed a button. It flickered and vanished into thin air. "One has just turned himself in, but we can't identify him."  
She blinked her eyes in confusion. "Has his data chip corrupted?"

"If he's not a friend of yours, I can't give you any further information. Hospital policy." He moved out of the door and glanced back at her over his shoulder. "I hope you are feeling better. Take care, both of you."  
As the door closed behind him, Pixel looked over at Leaf. They both appeared to be thinking the same thing. Most pokemon were rendered immobile by the virus, so one strolling into a hospital to turn himself in, although not impossible, was an odd occurrence.

Leaf rubbed his head and looked away from her. "How are you feeling?"

The brief spectacle with the doctor had taken her mind off her head. She smiled into her glass as she realised that dull throb had finally subsided. "Much better, actually."

"Great!" He leant back in his seat and poked at his computer screen with a claw. "Hopefully you'll be released soon. The longer we wait, the more we have to catch up with Cyan Island."

"You won't be going anywhere just yet, miss."

They both looked up as an audino approached the bed. She scanned over Pixel with her eyes with a look that exuded business and took the glass from her paw. Pixel found herself pinned down by her shoulder as a light was aimed into her eyes much to her displeasure. When the nurse stood back, she tucked the tiny light away and scrawled something onto her clipboard.

"Why can't I leave?" Pixel asked as she rubbed a paw over her watering eyes. "I'm feeling better."

"We need to wait until the tranquilliser is completely out of your system," the audino explained.

"Tranquilliser?!" both Leaf and Pixel exclaimed.

"Yes. We had to knock you out for a while so we could run tests. It was imperative we made sure you didn't show any signs of the virus."

"Are you kidding?" Pixel gasped. "I fainted!"

The nurse shrugged. "You visited quarantine, then left and had a fainting spell. We were being cautious."

"That human didn't say anything about this!" said Leaf.

The audino didn't look up from her clipboard. "That would be because we didn't tell him."

Pixel crossed her arms and huffed. "I think this is a little unacceptable."

"Just a little?" Leaf asked.

She silenced him with a wave of her paw. "Why wouldn't you tell him?"

"We didn't want to spook your friend unnecessarily."

"And what did your tests show?"

"You are clear from any sign of a virus, and that your fainting spell was probably down to a fear of heights."

Leaf laughed. "Fear of heights?! We live two-hundred miles above System!"

Pixel bit her lip. She knew it was down to what she'd seen, but the nurse seemed oblivious to this. She opened her mouth to speak, but the audino cut her off as she finally looked up from her notes.

"Now." The nurse forced a smile, but it was still drowned in an air of authority. "In about twenty minutes, you should be clear to go."

Leaf slumped in his chair and sighed. "It's gonna be a hard trip back."

...

Hertz tapped a few words onto the keyboard. The situation baffled him. All results were coming back negative and it caused his head to spin.

"What do you think?!" a voice boomed by his ear.

He flinched and glanced at the exploud sat beside him. "Sample, please. Use your indoor voice."

The exploud cleared his throat and muttered an apology, glancing at the doctor's computer.

"As for your question," Hertz sighed, "I haven't a clue."

"Well if results are coming back negative," Sample began, "then we can assume the meowstic's clear, right?"

"One would think." Hertz steepled his claws together and leant back in his seat. "But explain the mutation."

Sample grunted and looked at the ceiling, rubbing a paw over the back of his pipes. Hertz waited a moment to give the exploud a chance to answer, but he didn't actually expect one.

"You see?" Hertz looked back at his computer. "There doesn't seem to be an explanation, but there _must_ be."  
"Is there a chance," Sample said slowly, "that he's had the virus and it's gone?"

Hertz said nothing as he stared blankly at his screen, the letters swirling and blurring together as his focus went to the exploud's words. A cure... the meowstic couldn't possibly have found _a cure_?

But nothing else made sense. The signs of a virus were all there. The mutation – quite unlike the mutations other pokemon had gone through – but it was a change nonetheless. The patient claimed to have forgotten his abilities too, instead using ones he never thought he had.

But then there was the puzzle of a data chip.

Instead of an error, he didn't have one at all.

Hertz let his eyes focus back on the computer screen. "If he has found a cure, then why hasn't he changed back to his normal form?"

"Maybe it's like when you sew up an open wound from surgery and there's always a scar?"

"That would explain his appearance, but what about his abilities?"

He could see Sample scratching his chin out of the corner of his eye. With a sigh, Hertz leant his elbows on his desk and placed his head in his paws.

"I think he has had it," he said. "But he's immune to it. I think his body killed it off, but it didn't actually heal, and as such he's still suffering with the symptoms."

"Huh!" A smile spread across Sample's large mouth and he nodded. "That makes a lot of sense."

"It's the best possible answer." Hertz looked up at him. "I want that meowstic in his own private room. Make sure it's locked, I don't want any unauthorised access. I'm going to run more tests on him. If we can extract whatever fought the virus, we might be able to stop the spread in our critical patients, and maybe even devise a way to reverse it."

The exploud's eyes flitted left and right as his face twisted with confusion. "Erm... he's not really in any fit state to put under anaesthetic. He might not survive it."

Hertz stared silently at the computer.

"I mean, the virus doesn't just change the appearance," Sample went on. "It attacks everything inside. The heart, the brain... everything! If nothing's showing up in the blood samples, then what do we do? I doubt he'll survive an intrusive examination. And what do we extract to run tests on?"

Hertz rolled his eyes to look up at Sample, remaining quiet for a moment longer as he warred with his conscience.

Finally, he glanced away and said, "Would it really be so bad to sacrifice one life if we can save hundreds of others?"

"I dunno... would you be willing to go through with it in his situation?"

It was easy to agree with such a hypothetical statement, but in reality... Hertz buried his face in his paws and let out a long sigh.

"Exactly," said Sample. "We'd need his permission, and even then, I don't think it's morally sound."

"Hundreds of lives are at stake," said Hertz bluntly. "And goodness knows how many more! Every day, new patients show up with this virus. Every day, many die because of it. If we can save them at the expense of _one life_..." Everything snapped into place in his mind. He looked up at Sample with such ferocity the large pokemon took a cautious step back. "Gather all the scientists, doctors and nurses working in quarantine. Tell them there's an urgent meeting. Regardless of how it goes, afterwards put him under, because we're starting the experiment."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	6. Rescue Mission

**A/N - I have had no motivation to write for the past week. Hopefully this will wear off soon and this story won't be put on hiatus... That's the good thing about writing chunks in advance. I've got 12 chapters written for this so far.**

5 – Rescue Mission

The buildings blurred past as Pixel and Leaf zipped along on a pair of hoverboards, following the flow of traffic in hot pursuit of their base. Cyan Island was visible above the skyscrapers, trudging steadily along as it followed its circuit.

"How close are we now?" Pixel asked.

Leaf looked down at his digital map. "Its moving over Proxy City. That might prove problematic if we need to board there, especially now the sun's setting."

She pursed her lips and fixed her attention on the island. Hopefully their fresh purchase of hoverboards (much to Leaf's dismay when he had to fork over three-thousand credits per board) would give them the edge they needed to avoid any unwanted conflict. The outskirts were renown for the hostile pokemon that inhabited them.

A loud horn rang out through the streets as the traffic came to a sudden stop, shattering any hopes the pair of them had about making it through Proxy City before sundown.

"What's going on?!" Leaf whined, straining to see around the rear of a particularly large lorry. "Argh, we're never going to make it at this rate!"  
Pixel hopped from her hoverboard and scooted over to the side of the road. The head of the traffic jam was hidden from sight as the chain of traffic vanished around a sharp bend between a department store and an electronics tower that displayed an advert for a new camera on a massive LCD display.

She returned to her hoverboard and Leaf looked over at her.

"Any joy?" he asked.

She shook her head. "We'll have to move on foot if we want to get past it."

He dismounted his board with a sigh and tucked it under one arm, waddling onto the sidewalk on his hind legs. She followed after him, casting a glance back at the motionless traffic. Many of the other hoverboard riders followed their example, gathering their boards and deciding to go on foot.

"You know what would be useful?" said Leaf. "If we could fly like your human friend."

"I think it would be more useful if we could get the drifting continent to move backwards and come for us," said Pixel.

"You don't want to fly?"  
She chuckled. "Not especially."  
He grunted and paused at the edge of a narrow road to allow a lorry past as it deviated from the traffic. "I suppose any desire to fly went out the window when you fell off Switch's back, huh?"

Before she could answer, he waved a paw to silence her and turned his focus onto his headset. They walked across the street in silence, joining the pedestrians on the other side. He appeared to be having some difficulty hearing the speaker on the other end as he apologised a couple of times and had them repeat themselves.

Finally, he looked back at her, but his expression caused a flood of nauseating anxiety in her stomach.

"That was Byte," he explained. "They're actually in Proxy City but they're not having the best time."

Her eyes widened and she picked up pace to walk beside him. "What's going on?"

"They've had a run-in with the vigoroth brothers. We're going to need to hurry." He pulled out his computer, dodging the pedestrians without even looking up while he scrolled through a map of Meta City. "There are several side streets we could take to avoid this traffic, provided it doesn't go the full length of the city."

He paused and looked left and right, muttering the names of the road signs and comparing them to the map. Finally, he stuffed it away and grabbed her paw, dragging her down a narrow street. He ran off ahead of her and hopped onto his hoverboard, causing a squeal of surprise from a young glameow.

"We need to hurry," he called back. "They're not known for being understanding."

Pixel gave the glameow a quick apology as she zipped past after him, the hoverboards whipping up a light trail of dust.

...

Proxy City was cast in shadow, rarely getting much sun as it was situated between the high rise buildings of Meta City and the high peak of the Backbone Mountain. Empty wrappers blew across the streets, joining small spirals of debris amongst the wind-traps and moving along the alleys like tiny tornadoes where they joined the garbage filling the gutters and crevices from the overflowing trash cans.

Curious pokemon daring not to step outside watched Pixel and Leaf as they zipped through the streets on their hoverboards, the sound creating a gentle thrumming in the polluted air. Few pokemon were on the streets at this hour. Even though the sun wouldn't be setting for a little while yet, it still seemed very dark, almost as though it might rain but there were barely any clouds in the sky.

"Did they say where they were?" Pixel spoke quietly, almost a whisper, keeping an eye on the shadows of the alleyways.

"They were ambushed at the Metalclaw Tavern," answered Leaf. "They'd gone in to ask for information, and as soon as they stepped outside they were bundled into an alleyway. The brothers had left them tied up to go and look for someone they were calling Hax."

She grimaced. "Hopefully they've not returned with him yet."

"I'm hoping that's the case. I dread to think what kind of trouble those kids have landed themselves in."

An endless flow of questions ran through her mind. Who would want to harm Nybble and Byte? And if so, what had they done to trigger the anger of the vigoroth brothers? Did the brothers have something to do with the missing vulpix?

The questions kept on coming as she followed Leaf around another bend, this one revealing a small group of pokemon standing outside talking, clutching glasses in their paws. A sign creaked in the wind above their heads displaying a crude drawing of a bisharp's claws that were designed to look like they were slicing through the sign itself. The group looked up at them as they drew closer, and one of them – a toxicroak – narrowed his eyes in a leer.

"Newbies!" he grunted.

"More o' them?" An aggron crossed his arms, fixing one eye on them. "Thought those pesky kids were weird enough."

Pixel leant into Leaf and spoke quietly. "Do we talk to them?"

"Just keep going," he muttered back.

"Oi!" The aggron stepped in front of them, and they brought their hoverboards to a halt. "No whisperin'! You got summat t'say, you say it t'me!"  
"Okay!" Leaf stood up as tall as he could. "We're looking for those 'pesky kids' you were just talking about."

Pixel grimaced at the ivysaur's use of air quotes and watched the aggron closely, bracing herself for him to lash out in anger. Instead, he pointed at Leaf and looked over at his friends.

"They lookin' for 'em emolga kids!"

A durant whistled through his mandibles and looked up at a charizard and the toxicroak. "Think summat's happened to 'em?"

"Yes," Leaf went on. "I got a frantic call. They've been taken by the vigoroth brothers, and they've gone to find someone named Hax."

The aggron's demeanour changed drastically. He leapt back from Leaf, his weight causing the buildings to shake and the sign to swing dramatically, its rusty hinges screeching with the momentum. His wide eyes reflected fear at some unseen memory and he scurried backwards, almost tripping over the toxicroak. The other pokemon looked uneasy, and the durant walked backwards until he was crouching safely just inside the bar.

"I take it you've heard of them then," said Leaf.

"Heard of them?" The aggron shook his head. "You ain't wanna be messin' wi' them. You turn around an' go back. Those kids are a lost cause. Take my word fer it."

Leaf exchanged glances with Pixel and they both looked up at the aggron.

"They're our friends," said Pixel. "We're helping them. Where does this Hax hang out?"

"On the roof tops," answered the charizard. "Keeps an eye out for easy victims. Has the vigoroth brothers doin' his dirty work, and he comes along and finishes 'em off."

The aggron glanced away from them and wrung his heavy paws together. "Look. Ya gonna be messin' wi' him, yer messin' wi' the wrong pokemon."

Leaf hopped onto his hoverboard and kicked it off the ground, moving slowly past the now spooked gang.

"Then don't follow us," he said bluntly.

Pixel followed after him, looking back briefly as the aggron shouted after them.

"Yer brave, ivysaur! But yer foolish!"

His words didn't seem to phase Leaf at all. He kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, scouting out the alleys they passed for any sign of their friends. Pixel, however, kept looking up at the rooftops. Those jagged black lines were visible above the low buildings, causing an unsettling feeling to spread throughout her stomach. However, her mind was on rescuing Nybble and Byte right now. If they lost them, that would be to more of their rapidly decreasing team. What kind of pokemon was this Hax and what danger did he pose? She had no idea.

"Ah!" The tail of Leaf's hoverboard screeched against the floor, digging up the dirt as he brought it to a halt. He pointed a stubby claw into a narrow alley. "I can see them!"  
Pixel's violet eyes widened as a smile spread across her face, but it was soon wiped off when she noticed the two emolga's matching expressions of fear.

They were both sat on the filthy floor in the shadow of an overflowing trash can, tied up back to back. The wall behind them marking the alley's dead end seeped a green, slimy substance that Nybble flinched away from as it dripped by her head. When they spotted Leaf and Pixel, Nybble almost cried with relief while Byte strained against his tethers.

"Hurry!" the male emolga hissed. "They said they're coming back!"  
Leaf was already beside them, tugging at the ropes while Pixel kept an eye on the alley's opening. There was no sense in all of them becoming trapped between angry pokemon and a brick wall.

Leaf ushered the two emolga out of the alley, following close behind and giving Pixel a nudge to follow him.

"You take Nybble. If we move now, we should be out of this city before -"

"Where d'ya think yer goin'?!"

The gritty voice caused all four of them to spin on the spot. Two vigoroth rushed at them, their sharp claws raised above their heads. Above them, whipping up dust with his powerful wings, was a large unfezant, a heavy gold medallion swinging from a thick chain around his slender neck.

"I'm assuming that's Hax?" said Leaf.

The emolga twins let out a squeal and threw themselves behind him.

Pixel grit her teeth and braced herself to launch a counter-attack on the closest vigoroth, but before any of them could reach them, Leaf span in the air, firing a cloud of spores at the three aggressive pokemon.

The vigoroth sniffed at the air and sneered, flashing their canines in an intimidating grin while the unfezant screeched and beat his wings, sending the spores back at Leaf and his friends. Pixel covered her mouth and nose with her paws, but it was too late. Leaf looked back at her, doubling slightly in her vision.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking."  
The vigoroth lunged at them, their roars almost shaking the flimsy windows. She span, bringing her horn up and clubbing one on the chin, but the other grabbed it in his paws and dragged her backwards. As she fell onto her back, she saw Hax strike Leaf and send him rolling backwards into the alley. The large bird battled with a spray of paralyzing spores the ivysaur had scattered during the impact. He beat his wings against the wall, trying to beat them free of the powder, his movements erratic. No longer able to stay airborne, he'd be easier to battle.

That was, if she'd not inhaled a lungful of sleep-inducing spores. She struggled to sit up, pinned in place as the vigoroth refused to release her horn, but her efforts were becoming weaker as the sleep powder took over.

Hax cast a glance down the alley and grinned, turning his beady eyes back onto Pixel. She could hear the cries of the two emolga, but they were out of her eyeline.

"Well!" The unfezant stood over her, watching whatever was going on behind her. "Looks like your friend's out of action. Pity it only took one air slash to take him down. Pathetic weakling."

He blurred in and out of focus as he moved with jerky motions, keeping one eye on the vigoroth and the other on her. Her heart was pumping. Any moment she feared she'd fall asleep.

"Grab those two, and dump them in the alley with the mawile and ivysaur. I've got some questions for them."  
"Aye!"

She felt herself hoisted discourteously onto her feet. Sharp claws rammed into her back, pushing her into the alley. She almost tripped over Leaf sprawled in the opening. He groaned as the vigoroth grabbed him and threw him forwards into a pile of trash bags. She rushed to assist him, but the other vigoroth grabbed her horn and threw her further into the alley towards the dripping wall. She landed with a grunt and pushed herself up, fixing the group in what she hoped was an intimidating glare.

"What do you want with us?!" she roared.

"Tsk!" Hax strutted over to her, his movements more fluid as his body won the war against the paralysis spores. "I didn't want you. I wanted them." He nodded to Nybble and Byte.

The emolga twins cowered between the vigoroth brothers.

"Giga and Tera told me they'd found them poking around Proxy City looking for a vulpix pup." Hax shrugged. "I don't really want pokemon sticking their noses into my business. So I wanted to know how much they knew. Then you two showed up!" The large bird looked back at Leaf with a leer then narrowed his eyes at Pixel. "How much do you know?"

She rubbed a paw over her head and pushed herself into a sitting position. Hax watched her cautiously, his entire body taut like a spring.

"Not much," she said. "All we were told was that a vulpix child has gone missing, and her mother wants to know what's become of her."

Hax chuckled drily and looked up at the sky. She instinctively followed his gaze to the jagged black line poking above the rooftops.

"Do you know what that is?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No."

"Neither do I." He looked back down at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his beak. "All I know now is, you go into it, you don't come back out."  
Everything inside Pixel suddenly felt very heavy. Her jaw dropped as the realisation of the poor vulpix child's fate fell heavily upon her. Her head shook from side to side of it's own accord.

"No..." She glanced over at the two vigoroth then back at Hax. "You wouldn't."

He closed his eyes and shrugged.

Her skin prickled as her fur stood on end and she sprang to her feet, but the large bird didn't so much as flinch.

"You're a monster!" she roared.

"Hey! At least we know it's not safe, right?"

The two vigoroth laughed, and an amused smirk spread across the unfezant's face.

"You _killed_ her! She was a _child_!"

Hax inclined his head on one side. "Hey. I never said she was dead. I said she never came back out."

Pixel clenched her jaw and glanced away from him. "It's as good as," she muttered.

A movement in the trash bags caught her eye, and Leaf winked at her. She looked back up at the unfezant and scowled.

"Why a child?"

"She was as curious as I was," he said. "And an easy pokemon to talk into doing it."

The vigoroth chuckled again.

Pixel placed her paws over her muzzle and shook her head. "I can't believe this. It makes me feel sick."

Green spores engulfed the unfezant in a cloud and he let out a squark of surprise, spinning to face Leaf. His legs wobbled and he fell sideways, and Pixel leapt back, narrowly avoiding the large bird's falling body.

The vigoroth stood wide-eyed, watching their fallen comrade and scratching their heads with their claws. One of them looked up as Leaf raced towards him on all-fours, his head lowered as he picked up speed. The vigoroth dropped the rope he was holding and raised his paws to defend himself. His claws fixed over Leaf's ears as the ivysaur launched himself into a full body tackle, sending his target tail over head.

The other vigoroth rushed at Pixel, and she raised her horn to meet his claws. His paws struck his own face and he stumbled backwards into the two emolga. His body jerked as electricity coursed through him, and the twins leapt aside to make room for his falling body as he spasmed on the filthy floor.

"Quick!" Leaf barked at them. "Climb on!"

Byte joined him on his hoverboard and he waited for Pixel to gather hers and follow after him. Nybble held onto her waist, watching with fascination as the buildings rushed by.

"Do you think they'll chase us?" she asked.

"If we're not fast enough!" Leaf jabbed at his personal computer and glanced back at Byte. "How did you get yourselves caught?"

"They ambushed us," said Byte. "And that rope absorbed electricity. There was nothing we could do!"  
Pixel crinkled her muzzle in thought. "It sounds like they were prepared for you."

Leaf made a thoughtful noise. "Either they overheard you and singled you out, or someone's intersecting our computer."

"Which do you think is more likely?" asked Byte.

"The first one, although I am going to make sure the computer is safe just in case. Ah!" He pressed a claw to his headset. "Yes, police department please."

He glanced back as he muttered to the pokemon on the other end of the line. Pixel followed his gaze. No one was giving chase. Hax was likely still under the influence of the sleep powder. Fortunately she'd managed to battle it, otherwise she feared they wouldn't have been so fortunate.

That poor vulpix...

A wave of nausea ran through her and she turned her back on the city. Buildings zoomed past in her peripheral vision, but she couldn't shake the mental image of the vulpix child walking straight towards her demise.

She wasn't sure she'd be able to sleep that night.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	7. Intelligence

**I'm so sorry for the delay in updating this. I got struck with writer's block for like a month and I didn't want to continue updates and end up catching up with myself! Hopefully, if I can keep writing like I have been doing this week, then I'll be able to continue to update once a week. We'll see =)**

6 - Intelligence

The sun beat down on the lush grass of Cyan Island, dusting away the lingering fog of sleep from Pixel's mind. She yawned and stretched widely as she trudged across the meadow towards the control room. Despite only being able to grab around three hours of sleep, she was feeling oddly awake.

Nybble and Byte, however, were a stark contrast. The latter looked like he was about to take a nap on the control deck while his sister lazily, and absently, flicked through the morning's news.

Leaf gave Pixel a wide grin as the door hissed shut behind her.

"You look cheerful," she said.

"I have reason to be." He nodded at the screen then span to face it. "Hax and his goons have been arrested and are locked safely away in Meta Prison. We've received a grateful, yet heartbroken message from the vulpix's mother thanking us for our efforts." He sighed and scratched his head. "Such a shame we couldn't give her better news."

Pixel peered over his shoulder at the long article, skimming over the text. Meta Prison, despite its name, was situated on the outskirts in Server City, providing an imposing threat to the gangs that formed there, forcing them to hang around the other two small cities instead. The article briefly covered the case of the missing vulpix pup along with three other hatchlings believed to have been tricked by Hax and his gang. However, the unfezant denied such claims, saying he was responsible for only the vulpix. The other three – a ratatta, growlithe and patrat – had allegedly been missing for about the same length of time.

But one thing really struck her. The article only brushed the fact the vulpix had entered one of the black cracks. Other than that, there was no speculation of the dangers the anomalies caused.

"They're keeping it under their hats, aren't they?" she scoffed.

"Hmm?" Leaf looked round at her.

"The cracks. It's as though the situation doesn't bother them."

"They're probably wanting to avoid getting the entire of System into an uproar. If the authorities aren't bothered by it, then the rest of the pokemon won't be. What we can take from this recent case is to stay away from them."

She made a non-committal grunt. "How come we weren't told about the other three missing hatchlings?"

Leaf shrugged. "The ninetails messaged us directly. My guess is they were all lumped together in the news. There's only the four of us left now. We can't read everything, Pixel."

"I know. I know." She fell down in the seat beside Nybble and logged in to her account. "Did they hack into our data by the way? You said it was strange that they seemed to know to target Nybble and Byte."

Juice flew out of Nybble's nose and she looked between them with a look of surprise.

"It doesn't look like it," said Leaf. "But I don't really know what to look for. So I've changed all passwords just in case. I recommend you change your log-in."

She nodded her understanding while reaching for a slice of toast on the small table beside her. She appreciated the snack. There'd been no time to make breakfast that morning.

She couldn't deny it was a real pain to have to change her password. She worried she'd forget it, so she recited it over and over in her mind as she pulled up her tasks for the day. At the top of the list was her daily duty to check the log of newly infected pokemon in the hospitals, first checking Central Meta. Nothing leapt out at her. None of them were pokemon she recognised, which caused both a wave of relief and a flood of anxiety.

An alarm went off in her mind and she stalled mid-bite.

She recognised none of them.

Didn't the doctor mention a meowstic?

She scrolled to the top again and went through them one by one carefully until she reached the 'charmander'. Just for good measure, she skimmed through the rest.

"Is there a problem?" Leaf asked.

She glanced at him then turned back to the screen. "There's no log of the meowstic on here."

He grunted and gave a shrug. "If you're worried, check the claimed section?"

The claimed section... she tapped the screen and a much smaller list of claimed and recognised victims flashed before her.

None.

They weren't listed.

She shook her head and went back to the previous page. "Not there. I wonder why they didn't log him on here?"

Leaf leant across Nybble to peer over her shoulder, scanning his eyes over the screen. "It could just be a simple error? I wouldn't worry about it."

"I suppose it could just be an oversight, but it seems rather careless, especially at this time." She sighed and leant back in her chair. "Maybe you're right."

He pushed himself back to his seat and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't stress yourself over it. We've got other things to deal with."

"I know, but -"

"There's no easy way to find out what's happened to him, if anything at all. Short of hacking their systems, which none of us can do."

She made a non-committal noise and closed the website, then clicked on the icon for her email account. While she waited for it to load, she dropped her bag on the desk and pulled out her personal computer. A small, crumpled piece of paper tumbled out beside it and she picked it up and smoothed it out, revealing a number scrawled across it. A number that flicked a light on in her mind.

An adventurer of many talents... Maybe one of those was gathering intel?

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. There might be some way to find out what had become of that meowstic after all. All she had to do was fire out a quick message.

...

Lights flickered around the dark room from the various computer screens, many of which were dormant as they flashed through a colourful yet rather retro screen saver.

Switch threw his feet up on the desk, nudging his mouse and causing the image to break, revealing his previous day's work of sending out requests for a dynamo. Many of them had answers, and the red outline around them told him all of the answers were 'no'.

Connor bristled beside him as he looked at the man's screen. "You're not getting very far, are you?"

Switch shrugged and folded his arms behind his head as he leant back in his seat. "It's just a shame Diode can't design one that works."

The helioptile looked over at them from his position beside the laser, his sullen expression making him seem small as he almost cowered behind it.

Connor snorted. "He can design machinery but can't design the parts needed to make it run. Useless!"

He rammed his paws onto the desk, causing the contents to bounce and sparks to fly from his cheeks. The other two pokemon ducked away, but Switch just watched him out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm never gonna get home," the pikachu sighed. He turned his livid expression back on Diode. "Is there really nowhere we can buy a dynamo?!"

Diode grit his teeth together and returned to tightening a loose screw on the machine.

"They're old, Connor," Switch explained. "Parts like that aren't going to come easy to us. We need to find a specialised market."

A soft beep followed by a buzz resounded from his pocket. He pulled out his small computer and flipped it open.

"Then find one," said Connor. "They can't be that hard to find. There were retro shops all over the place in our world! Surely this place has the same thing!"

"You'd think." Switch spoke absently as he read over the text on the small computer's screen.

'Hi! It's Pixel. I was wondering if you could help me? I was told about a meowstic at Central Meta Hospital yesterday, but he's not listed on their website. I'm worried something might have happened, but right now we're busy trying to find our missing members. Is there any way we can find out? I can pay you.'

He raised an eyebrow. "Why come to me?"

Connor's rambling voice cut short and he fixed him with a stare. "What? Because I hired you!"

Switch looked over at him with a start. "Oh!" He cleared his throat and chuckled, stuffing the computer back into his pocket.

Connor's eyes didn't leave his hand, his expression becoming more furious as his small muzzle crinkled. "Did you get another job?"

Switch raised his hands. "I've got to make money somehow, Connor. But I'm always here to help you, you know that."

The pikachu snorted and turned back to his computer. "The day you bail is the day you'll regret it. Like I've said before, I seriously doubt you actually want to leave this place. Makes me sick -"

"Ah, here you go again, be rantin' an' ravin'!"

All eyes went to the door. A slender leavanny strolled in, pushing a trolley ahead of her with four steaming bowls of soup. She stopped beside Connor and set a bowl down in front of Switch.

"I tell you now, Connor-boy, you stress too much! When did you sleep last? You got dem heavy bags under yer eyes!"

"I sleep when I need to, Snippet," Connor said bluntly.

The leavanny placed a bowl before a very grateful N00b who wagged his tail in appreciation. She turned back to Connor and shook her head.

"I be tellin' you before, you got to get some sleep! You can't be doin' all dis with no rest! You'll make yeself ill!" She placed her leafy paws on her hips and frowned. "Stand up, let me have a look at you."

The other two pokemon and Switch watched as Connor slid from his chair with a sigh and stood before Snippet, avoiding her eyes. She placed a leaf under his chin and tilted his face up so he was looking at her. Tutting, she released him and took a step back.

"Dark bags like an insomniac delibird!" She looked at each of the others in turn. "Do none of you tell him to get some rest?"

N00b and Diode looked away, but Switch caught the amused smiles on their faces. Snippet looked back own at Connor and shook her head again, tutting softly.

"Young man, you be gettin' yourself to bed, you hear?"

He clenched his jaw together and turned towards the door. "Fine! An hour, tops!"

"You'll sleep til you be wakin' up, young man! I'll bring your soup up, an' put yer favourite film on for you. Then, after a good long rest, you'll be fit to continue workin'!"

He waved a paw in dismissal and vanished through the door.

Snippet shook her head and tutted again, then grabbed her trolley.

"I tell you all now, since the day I found him all lost and confused like, he's been nothin' but trouble. But I can't let him suffer now, can I? Poor love. I feel so sorry for him, stuck in a world he ain't no clue about." She looked over at Switch and gave him a sad smile. "An' you too, dear. You'll both get back home, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Snippet." He sipped his soup and gave her a smile. "Good soup, as always. What's in it?"

"Carrot, lentil an' oran berry! Good for keepin' up dat energy! Now, you lot need to look after each other a bit more, I keep tellin' you dis. I'm happy to be lookin' after you all, but I'm not gonna be around forever, an' wi' dat virus, who knows how long we're gonna be well an' kickin'. I hate to be pessimistic, but we gotta be sensible, ain't we? I'll be back in an hour or so to collect yer dirties."

With that, she left the room. They watched her go, then all let out huge sighs of relief.

Diode left the laser and fell down into his seat, promptly opening up a video website.

"I reckon he'll be sleeping for a few hours," said N00b. "Anyone fancy a game of chess?"

Switch watched the lillipup pull a chessboard from beneath his desk and start lining up the black and white figures. Chess mastery was one of the small pokemon's many surprising talents and trying to finally beat him would surely be a great way to pass some time. Something tugged at his mind and he removed the small computer from his pocket, still showing Pixel's request.

He still didn't know why she'd turned to him, but if she really wanted this information then there was someone who could help her. His eyes went back to N00b, now neatly lining up the chess pieces so they were all facing the right way.

"I'll be white." His tail blurred behind him as he gave Diode and Switch an innocent smile. "If you both want to play, you'll have to flip a coin or something."

"I think Diode's quite happy catching up on his dramas." Switch stood up and moved over to the lillipup, stopping beside him and placing a hand on the back of his seat. N00b glanced back at him out of the corner of his eye as he spoke quietly to his ear. "While Connor's gone, I have a little request of you. Something only you can do."

N00b wagged his tail and his tongue lolled from his mouth in a grin. "What is it?"

"I want you to hack into Central Meta's system and find out what's happened to this meowstic."

Switch handed him his pocket computer, letting him read over the mawile's request. He watched his friend's face go from surprise to confusion to concern and once he'd finished he clicked his tongue in thought.

"Hmm. Suspicious doesn't even begin to describe it." The lillipup turned his full attention to the computer, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Gimme five... maybe ten minutes."

The hospital's website flashed up on the screen as N00b's paws blurred across the keyboard. The image changed so quickly, Switch couldn't keep track. N00b muttered to himself, the odd word more coherent than the others, until he froze on a black screen displaying a chart of green text. He trawled through it, pausing momentarily to jot things down on a notepad.

Then the images flashed again as the lillipup expertly retraced his footsteps back to his desktop. He leant back on his chair with a sigh and flashed Switch a grin as he hadned him the notepad.

"There! Didn't even leave a paw print. Got all the information you wanted, and more. I doubt your friend is going to like it though."

Switch thanked him and read over his notes. The lillipup's child-like writing left little to be desired.

'Despite the results of the meeting, Hertz wants to go through with the tests to find out why the meowstic has recovered from the virus. The meowstic won't recover from these experiments, but hopefully we'll find a cure from these tests. If not, his life will have been sacrificed in vain. Hertz refuses to tell the subject anything, in fear he'll decline.'

The hair on the back of Switch's neck stood on end. "They're not serious?!"

"I told you."

"Hang on. It says here they've put the tests put on hold due to Hertz's health. They will commence on the 22nd." Switch checked the date on N00b's computer. "That's the day after tomorrow."

"It certainly explains why they didn't have him listed," said N00b. "Too scared someone would come forward and claim him, and mess all this up."

Switch snorted. "I can't believe anyone would do this."

"He has the world's best interest at heart in the long run. However, his solution is rather warped."

"Warped? It's enough to turn your stomach." Switch tore the page free and stuffed it into his pocket.

"So what are you gonna do?" N00b asked.

"I can't tell you that."

N00b's eyes widened so much they reminded Switch of a begging puppy. He gave a flustered sigh and shook his head.

"Fine. I'm going to break him out." He gave N00b a wink. "Don't breath a word of this to Connor."

"I can't anyway." N00b grinned and wagged his tail. "I won't be here. I'm coming with you."

Switch narrowed his eyes. "You'll be staying here. If I take you with me, Connor will have my head!"

N00b waved a paw. "Forget it. You need me for this."

"I need you?"

"Sure. Data, infiltration tactics. With the plans they've got at hand, they're surely going to have raised their defences." He nudged one of the pawns across the chess board, then moved an enemy knight across to intersect it. "If you think it's going to be so easy to get past them unprepared, you've got another thing coming."

Switch gave a flustered sigh and ran a hand through his untidy hair. "Fine. But you need to keep up." He glanced over at Diode, meeting a pair of wide, curious eyes. "I can trust you won't say anything either?"

Diode shook his head and ran a paw across his lips like a zipper.

Switch smiled. "All right. We'll be back soon, hopefully. Thank Snippet again for her soup for me?"

N00b cheered rather too loudly and leapt from his seat. "Oh boy! Road trip!"

"Keep your voice down!" Switch hissed, prompting the lillipup to cover his mouth with both his front paws.

As he raced from the room, he fired a quick message to Pixel. Hopefully the mawile wouldn't have any plans taking up her schedule for the next couple of days. He had no idea how any of them were going to go about this, but he knew they were going to have to work fast.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	8. Breakout

**A/N - I know updates to this are pretty slow, but so is my writing progress. Fortunately I got two chapters written this past week, so I'm happy enough to update! I hope all you readers are enjoying it so far, even if it is quietly =D**

7 - Breakout

Fluffy white clouds hung heavily in the sky, casting the drifting continent in a light mist and obscuring the view of the world below. Pixel could just make out the narrow trail of a river making its way towards the Backbone Mountains in the distance.

"I can't believe you're going through with this." Leaf crossed his arms and shook his head. "You're risking a prison sentence."

"You agreed with me," she reminded him. "What they're planning is twisted. It's practically murder!"

He gave a flustered sigh. "You know we only deal with investigations that fall between the cracks. Is this really one of them?"  
"Yes. The police want nothing to do with cases involving the virus. They've left the hospitals completely in charge of such things."

"But murder, Pixel."

"The doctors would just play the 'virus' card and tell them it's a potential cure. Unfortunately, it's a grey area."

He rubbed a paw over his face, nudging his headphones so they fell around his neck. "If they had his permission to perform a risky procedure, I'd understand. But either way, you're putting yourself at risk trying to stop them."

"I'm not going alone."

"No. You're going ahead with the crazy plans of a human, who – I'm not discriminating – I just don't know so I can't trust him."

She rolled her eyes. "You're being paranoid."

"Can you blame me? We've lost so many members as it is! I don't want to lose you too."

"You're not going to lose me." She looked over at him, but he didn't meet her eyes. Instead focusing his attention on the misty view below them. "Besides, if we do get caught, we have all the evidence we need. I'm sure the police won't be happy with what Hertz is planning, even with all those suffering from this virus. It's still wrong. It's still murder."

"I think they'd be fighting for you to call it manslaughter."

"They know perfectly well what the risks are." She hugged herself as a cold breeze washed over her and looked out at the horizon. "Yet they're still wanting to go through with it."

"I'd like to say it's none of our business, but I know you too well to know you're not going to just let this slide."  
She gave a small smile and shook her head. "No. Not now I know it's happening. Oh! I think that's him."

A winged shape beat its way towards them, growing gradually larger as it surged up from the ground below. The unmistakable red and black feathers of a talonflame stood stark against the pale mist before he burst forth, whipping up the air as he landed daintily on the grass. He gave Leaf a nod then fixed his golden eyes on Pixel.

"Are you ready?" he asked. "There's no turning back now."

Pixel clambered onto his back and once he was happy she was securely in place he turned to take off, but faltered as Leaf waved a paw to distract him.

"Just so you know, I'm not happy about this." The ivysaur pointedly crossed his arms again.

"Don't worry." Switch winked. "We have an expert on our team."

"What expert?" Leaf shouted.

"A friend of mine."

His answer didn't satisfy Leaf remotely. He fired several other questions as Switch beat his wings, rising smoothly into the air and leaving Leaf's cries of protest to die out behind them.

Pixel clasped her paws around Switch's feathers and leant towards his head. "A friend?"

He flashed her a smile. "Yes. He's waiting for us on the ground."

Wind roared past her ears as the talonflame rocketed through the mist towards the world below. The slender form of the river vanished beyond the horizon, replaced with thick trees and the rooftops of houses as they descended into a small town. Waiting patiently beside a narrow street was a little auto-mobile shaped like a bullet. Switch landed beside it and gave the passenger a nod.

"Pixel, meet N00b."

A young lillipup sporting a pair of flight goggles flashed her a toothy grin from behind the vehicle's steering wheel. "Nice to meet you!"

"You too." Pixel looked up at Switch. "This is your friend? The expert?"

He winked. "Don't let looks deceive you. He might be a kid but he's a prodigy. If you're not convinced, he designed that car."

N00b gave the steering wheel a playful thump. "Yup! And I call it the awesome rocking bullet!"

Pixel raised an eyebrow and eyed the car cautiously. "Really?"  
Switch chuckled, and the lillipup burst into laughter and doubled over on the dashboard. "Nah! I'm trolling you. It's the N00b Mobile! Get in."  
She looked the car up and down again. It was small and narrow in design with a chrome plating and only three seats lined up from front to rear. There was no visible roof. She assumed it was folded away in the trunk. Feathers brushed her back as Switch ushered her forwards, eliciting from her a squeak of surprise.

"You can trust him, it's safe."  
"Yeh." N00b widened his eyes at her. "If you don't climb in, you'll hurt my fuzzy feelings."

His words caused her to break into a broad smile and she hopped into the seat behind him. Once the door was shut, she looked back out at Switch.

"Aren't you joining us?"

He shook his head and spread his wings wide to prepare to take off. "Those seats are too small for me in either form. Even as a talonflame they restrict my wings. I'll be flying above you."

N00b pressed a few buttons on the dashboard and the front of the car lit up with flashing green lights. They stabilised and the display showed a list of numbers, one of which was marked 'speed'. A soft beep came from somewhere near him and he pulled out a pocket computer from the glove compartment and flinched.

"Argh, we need to be quick. Connor's going to kill us."  
Pixel's eyes opened wide with surprise. "Connor?" It didn't sound like a pokemon name. She looked up at Switch for an explanation. His wings hung limp at his sides and his face was twisted in a grimace. He shook it off quickly and gave her a smile.

"He'll probably dock my pay. Oh well. Let's get a wiggle on, shall we? We've got a life to save."

With that, he rose into the air and N00b gave a cheer as the engine flared into life.

"I'm glad to see you have your own goggles!" he said. "I suggest you use them."

She didn't question it. The pair of pink framed goggles settled snugly over her eyes just before the little car lurched forwards and took her breath away as it sped along the narrow streets, the buildings going past in a blur.

"Is this really safe?!" she wailed.

The lillipup chuckled. "What? You think I'd build a car like this without a collision detector?"

His dance around her question left her feeling somewhat unsettled. All she could do was hope his statement was merely rhetorical.

...

The high tops of skyscrapers appeared clear over the low roofs of the outskirts. Travelling through the outlying towns had been trivial, but as the outskirts drew closer, N00b brought his car to a screeching halt, the rear end spinning sideways and sending dust into the air. Pixel choked and wafted a paw over her nose to beat it away. She squinted through her goggles as the dust settled, revealing three pokemon in hazmat suits standing beyond a frame of yellow tape that cut off the end of the road. A large, red sign was what had brought N00b to a sudden stop. The car had halted on level with it, and the little pokemon's attention fixated on the working pokemon, watching them spraying disinfectant over the buildings and street.

"No." She shook her head. "Not here."

She knew full well if it was an outbreak of the virus the entire town would likely be shut off to become a ghost town. And this close to Meta City too... her heart hammered in her throat and she gripped the back of N00b's leather driving seat.

The lillipup scratched at his ear with his back paw. "Argh. How are we going to get around this mess?"  
"I could fly over it?" Switch's voice drew their eyes up to him. He hovered above them, beating his wings steadily to stay aloft. "I doubt it goes all around the whole city."

"You can't fly over it," said Pixel. "It's contaminated, and there's no saying you won't catch it."  
"There's no record of humans catching the virus," he reminded her.

"No evidence doesn't prove you're immune. Yes, no humans lying in comas have been found with it, but some humans have turned into pokemon, and the virus renders those who catch it almost unrecognisable! You can go back and forth. You still use a pokemon's body."  
His body slumped as he sighed and he shook his head slowly. "Very well. Let's try and find a way around it then. It might just be a small number of houses have had an outbreak."

The talonflame swerved and doubled back on himself, moving over the tops of the buildings. N00b revved up his car and followed him as closely as he could while sticking to the streets. He moved at a much slower pace now, scouting out the streets for any way through. Every one that led into Meta City culminated in a dead end of yellow tape and 'no entry' signs. Pokemon in hazmat suits became a common sight, and some of them shouted and turned them away. With each road, Pixel's heart sank. It was looking very likely the outbreak had started in the main city.

Nothing in the news had prepared her for this. It must have been very recent. She pulled her computer out of her bag and switched it on, the holographic screen appearing before her eyes. Loading up the news revealed the latest headlines, and she pawed through them looking for some sign of what exactly was going on.

Her reward came with a red notice – 'Outbreak in Meta Prison'.

"It's the prison!" she gasped.

"The prison?" N00b looked back at her. "It's a secure site. How did it get in?"

"I've no idea, I-" The image of an infected pokemon graced the screen, his wings covered with a green moss. A flying pokemon...

Wait... the previous day, the battle with Hax and the vigoroth brothers, resulting in their arrest.

The whole ordeal with the vulpix and the black cracks...

She felt her eyes widen slowly and she stared back down at the computer. The text was nothing but a blur to her now as her paws shook uncontrollably.

It couldn't be. If it was the same pokemon they'd battled the day before... if it was Hax...

Leaf had taken a nasty blow from that unfezant.

"No..." the word came out involuntarily and she shook her head sharply.

"Are you all right?" N00b asked.

"I don't know. We had a run in with a pokemon who was sent to Meta Prison only yesterday, and now this outbreak..."

He snapped his head back to her and fixed her with a mixed look of confusion and fear.

She looked back down at the computer, trying to focus her eyes to read on. Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe it wasn't the same pokemon.

Switch perched on the seat behind her and trailed a feather over the screen, scrolling through the article. "I thought it showed itself quite quickly. If you had it..."

"I'm not worried about me," she said, rather bluntly.

Truth be told, she hadn't even been thinking about that. The sheer thought, however, made her fur stand on end all down her back.

"So you had a run-in with this staraptor?" Switch asked.

"Staraptor?"

She stared at the picture once more. Hax wasn't a staraptor. Almost instantly, her vision corrected itself and the words stood out as clear as day. She grimaced and clenched her teeth together.

"No... no, he wasn't a staraptor."

He chuckled and struck her in the back with a heavy wing, almost knocking her into N00b's seat. "Then you've nothing to worry about!"

"So everything's okay?" N00b asked.

She popped the computer away and nodded. "I was concerned. But it's okay."  
N00b gave a dry chuckle. "Maybe you should have read the whole article!"  
She flinched back in her seat and folded her paws on her lap. "I'm sorry. We've lost a lot of friends recently. It's easy to leap to the worst case scenario."

Switch let out a grunt. "Unfortunately the way they word the headlines doesn't help. 'Virus takes two more' would generate more views for the news stations than 'virus claims poliwag and pidgey'." He smiled and gave her a wink. "It's not your fault."

She felt herself smile back and relaxed into the seat.

"Let's forget about it and find this meowstic," he said. "I'll scout for another street through to the city."

"Don't bother." N00b tapped a screen on his dashboard. "I'm looking for a map. It will rule out all closed off streets."

"And you weren't using this before... why?"

"It's in beta right now! I didn't want to get us lost."

Switch sighed and shook his head. "Okay! I'll scout on ahead anyway, and keep an eye on you two."  
N00b stuck his tongue out at the talonflame's tail as he vanished over the rooftops. "Right." He nodded to the map on the screen. "This thinks we need to rule out Server City entirely and go through Spool." He grimaced as he revved the engine back into action. "Thankfully Connor never steps paw outside."

...

The journey through Spool City was a sheer blur as the little car rocketed down the winding streets. Twice it came to a sudden stop as a pokemon bolted across the road, firing insults at them as they took off again.

Finally, the car streaked into Meta City, joining the trundling wagons, smaller mobiles and hoverboards in the busy streets. The repetitive stop and start made their previous journeys through Proxy and Spool seem like a breeze. Now it felt like they would never reach the hospital.

Pixel looked up to see if she could spot Switch, but he hadn't returned yet from mapping out the city.

"I say we get out and walk," she said.

N00b tenderly tapped the dashboard with a paw. "And what do we do with the N00b Mobile?"

"Park it somewhere."

He shook his head and grinned, his tongue lolling out at one side. "We need it. My plan involves a hasty get-away."

She raised an eyebrow at the lillipup. "I was kind of hoping for more stealth. Have you thought this through?"

"Thought it through and penned down every possible outcome. Then I screwed it up and threw it away and decided to go rogue on this one."

"So what is your plan exactly?"

He grinned again and turned his attention back to the road as the traffic moved another three meters further.

"Wing it. I don't have one. There are several things we could do, but we need to scope out what their security is like."

"You haven't already done that?"

"Yes, but the pokemon work in shifts. It could be any one of them. We'd need to tap into their security cameras first and see which one it is. I'm really hoping it's not the raichu doctor. I don't fancy being on the receiving end of a thunderbolt."  
"Neither do I," came Switch's voice from above them.

N00b's tail became a blur behind him. "You're back!"

"Take the next right turn," Switch told him. "Follow the quieter roads. Eventually they lead to the hospital. It's not a direct route but it will certainly be faster than this one."

"Roger!"

The traffic moved forwards again, stopping just as quickly and leaving them a mere two feet away from the right turn. Her nerves were now on end as she tried to think through a way to rescue this meowstic. If it went wrong, all three of them could be facing a prison sentence.

They could be accused of breaking and entering, abduction, interfering with government projects.

She was pushed back in her seat as the traffic surged forwards and N00b took this opportunity to speed up and round the corner before he lost his chance. Now they were in the narrow, empty streets, the wind beat at her face as he sped along them.

Switch barked directions from above them, each one followed without flaw. N00b slowed a couple of times as they encountered a few vehicles that had decided to take the quieter route, but within minutes they had arrived at the red and white bollards that marked the location of the large hospital.

They'd come from the other direction than Pixel had the day before. It was mildly disorienting as she tried to get her bearings. The line of ambulances stood quietly to her right, and the massive building rose up on her left.

"Which area is he in?" she asked quietly.

N00b was pawing at his personal computer, his attention entirely focused on his current task. She waited patiently for him to respond, occasionally casting a glance at the hospital as if she feared the very building itself might be aware of what they were planning.

Finally, N00b looked up from his computer. "He's in the east wing."

"That's right at the other side," said Switch.

"Yup, so we'll have to take the car around there and hide it. I've got their security up on screen. Fortunately it's not the raichu." He shook his head and chuckled at Switch. "Unfortunately for you, it's the wartortle."

Switch grimaced and rose back into the air with a mock sigh. "I'll just have to use my speed to my advantage then, huh?"

Pixel felt her heart leap into her throat and she rose up in her seat. "We're not battling anyone! I want this to be as low key as possible!"

N00b hissed at her. "Keep your voice down. You'll blow everything."

He pulled the car away from the bollards and trundled around the massive hospital, following the narrow road past multi-story car parks and little cafes where pokemon were likely spending their time outside of visiting hours.

Pixel didn't like the idea of blowing their chance to rescue the poor unsuspecting pokemon, but she also didn't like the idea of running in and throwing attacks at the doctors, making a real scene of something they could do much more low key.

The east wing was far from the quarantine ward, standing independently from the hospital. The N00b Mobile pulled up behind a wall and they peered over the top of it at the squat building. The sign above the door read 'authorised pokemon only', and standing formidably beside the door was an intercom.

"Gah!" N00b struck the steering wheel. "Thwarted!"  
Pixel shook her head. "I don't think so. There's got to be another way in."

"Of course there's another way in." N00b was tapping at his personal computer again. He held it up so Pixel could see the screen, displaying a map of the entire hospital. He zoomed in on the east wing and pointed with a claw. "See? A window."

She blinked. "The building is full of windows."

"Yes, but this one is a patio window, leading out from the dining room. If we get in through there, we'll be inside. And from there..." He flashed her a boyish grin. "We throw on some aprons and deliver dinner."  
She frowned and Switch gave an audible snort.

"Sounds like something from a teenage sitcom," he said.

N00b shrugged and looked up at him. "You got any better ideas?"

...

They stood before the patio window, which was unfortunately closed. The summer sun beaming down through the glass pane must have made the dining room feel like a greenhouse.

While they tried to figure a way in, Switch rose into the air to keep a lookout while Pixel paced up and down looking for an entry point. There was no easy way in to be seen. She turned back to find N00b tapping away at his computer.

"I've managed to access the cameras." He looked up again at the corner of the dining room. "I've disabled all the ones in the dining room. They'll think it's merely a fault, and they'll have them back online soon." He handed the computer to Pixel. "Keep an eye on it. If they go green again, let me know."  
She nodded as she stared at the strange display. Every camera in the building was listed, and could be controlled through this small computer. How had he gained access to such information? She frowned and looked back up at the lillipup, watching as he used a slender rod of metal to jimmy open the lock inside the window. The only way he could do something like this was if he was a keen hacker.

Hackers used to be rampant in the outskirts. The police didn't like them. The government had issued a warrant to have all hackers locked behind bars. And here one was, helping her...

A sharp clink resounded through the pane and he looked back at them with a grin.

"Tadah! We're in. How are them cameras looking?"

She looked back down at the computer. Nothing had changed. She handed it back to him and he scanned over it then ushered them towards the window. Switch swooped down from the air to follow them inside and closed it behind him with one of his talons.

"I have to say, I'd be much more comfortable walking around in my own body," he said.

"You'd also stand out like a sore paw-pad," said N00b.

"So where are we going?" Pixel asked.

"Kitchen. Hopefully we can get there before the staff start preparing three-o-clock snacks."

The lillipup stuffed his computer back into his bag and trotted towards a door in the far left of the dining room. She had to trot to keep up with him, and Switch had even more difficulty as he hopped along behind her.

The door led to a kitchen which, unfortunately, had an audino pacing up and down, stirring pans and arranging cakes on a dainty cake tree. She looked at the three of them with a start and raised a paw to her mouth. Pixel braced herself for the worst but instead the audino's eyes widened with delight and she lent forwards, fixing her blue eyes on the little lillipup.

"Why if you aren't the cutest little thing! What are you doing here?"

N00b wagged his tail and his tongue lolled out of his mouth. "I'm on work experience! And these two tell me they're interns."

She looked up at Pixel and Switch and eyed them curiously. Pixel didn't know what to say. All words had failed her as she just stuttered.

Switch nodded. "Yup, we're interns. This is our first shift."

"Really?" The audino rubbed her chin as she looked them up and down. "I can't see your name cards."

"We haven't received them yet," he said. "There's been a printing error, so we need to wait for them."

"Oh, dash it all!" The audino threw her paws in the air and shook her head. "Can't trust machines at all, can you? And we rely on them so much! Here. Grab an apron each, and take this trolley to room B." She paused with the plate of sandwiches hovering over the trolley and looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Do you know your way around? I don't imagine you do."

"We passed room B on the way here," said N00b.

"Of course you did." She placed the plate down with a small clatter beside a steaming teapot, pausing to neaten out the already neat white tablecloth, long enough to almost reach the floor on all sides, before nudging the trolley over to them. "They'll be waiting for their sandwiches. Please be quick. I don't want Mono complaining she's had to take a late break again."

Pixel nodded her understanding and took the trolley from the audino. As she turned towards the door, she eyed Switch now sporting a chequered pink apron and hid a smirk behind her paw. He gave her a wink and followed her out of the door.

"I don't know what you're smirking at. I think pink's my colour."

She couldn't help feeling this was all going a little too smoothly. The trolley rattled on a loose wheel as she pushed it down the hallway with N00b leading the way while Switch followed behind her. The lillipup pulled his computer out again to gather his bearings and turned a sharp right bend. Pixel glanced 'Room B' on their left. She had to hope whoever was waiting for their snack didn't come out to look for them.

"Which room are we going to?" she whispered.

N00b's large ear's twitched and he glanced back at her. "It's at the end of this corridor. But there's no doors to the outside, and no windows large enough to get _him_ through." He nodded to indicate Switch.

The talonflame rolled his eyes. "A wartortle guard, too big for a quick escape... I'm being a dead weight on this mission."  
"Don't be a martyr!"

The lillipup's goofy smile and Switch's chuckle raised the tension from the air, and Pixel felt herself smile as she regained her optimism. A plan was formulating in her mind, but it felt rather cliché. If they could hide the meowstic on the trolley, they could hopefully get to the door without being seen, or close enough for an easy escape.

N00b paused beside a door at a dead end and rose up on his hind legs to peer through the small window, although he couldn't quite reach.

"This is it," he said. "Room F."

Pixel abandoned the trolley and scooted over to him, pulling herself up so she could see through the window more clearly. The glass was tinted to keep out light, but she could make out the form of a meowstic sitting on a lone bed with his paws folded in his lap. A wave of relief flooded through her. They hadn't started their experiment yet.

She placed her paw on the door handle and twisted it.

Locked.

N00b met her eyes and looked back at the door, reaching for his computer. "It's a card key panel. It'll take a minute or two for this baby to analyse it, so keep an eye op-"

The door opened abruptly and a pair of pale blue eyes looked at each of them in turn. It opened fully and Pixel let out a gasp, her paw flying to her mouth as she took a step away from the door.

The pokemon staring back at them looked every bit like a normal meowstic save for his colouration – white with black markings. It was as though his usual colouring had been reversed and then transformed into a greyscale picture. From the angle he was standing at, she could also make out two long, black, horizontal stripes across his back.

Her reaction hadn't been met with enthusiasm. He sneered at her and looked away sharply.

"Just... leave the trolley in the hall. I'll get it when I'm ready."  
He vanished behind the door as he released it, and it began to silently shut on its heavy closer.

"Wait!"

Pixel stuffed her paw between the door and its frame and a surge of pain shot through her paw. It opened again suddenly, and she whipped her paw back, clasping it to her chest and grimaced. She was now stood in the doorway with a confused and irritated meowstic staring at her contrasting the looks of concern (and in N00b's part, mild amusement) from the other two pokemon.

The door had only been locked from the outside. This pokemon was free to leave, just walk straight out of the room and out if he wanted to. What was keeping him here? If they were wrong, things could take an embarrassing turn.

"What do you want?" he asked her. "If you need the trolley back, just leave the tray."  
"We're not here to deliver a trolley." She kept her voice as low as she could. "We're here to get you out."

"Get me out?" He snorted. "What are you talking about? I turned myself in here. They said they could help me."  
"N00b?" She looked back at the lillipup, his nose buried behind his computer.

"Already on it." He handed it to her, the information loaded up neatly on the screen.

She offered it to the meowstic. "See? From what you said, it doesn't sound like you had _this_ in mind?"

"Have _what_ in mind?" His eyes widened and his frown slowly turned into shock as he read over the text. The computer was thrust back into her paws and he shook his head slowly as he looked around the bare room. Words stuttered out of his mouth, almost illegible. "What? I don't-"

"You need to be quick," said Switch. "I can hear footsteps."  
"Come on." Pixel took the meowstic's arm and led him from the room.

Every ounce of reluctance had left him. His eyes were still wide and looked as though they were glazing over. Switch took him from her and helped him beneath the trolley, making sure the long tablecloth hid him completely from sight.

It felt a lot heavier now as she shoved it along the corridor back the way they'd come. She was beginning to really question why it had been so easy. The door wasn't locked from the inside. There had been no sign of a wartortle guarding the room. The audino had barely questioned their presence at all.

If this wing was meant to be high security, it was seriously lacking.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor on the right, leading back to the kitchen. Pixel's heart began to hammer in her chest. She was really hoping things would continue to go in their favour, and now their only exit was barred off by an approaching doctor.

The hidden pokemon's shadow spread up the wall, followed by a squat, blue form topped by the pointed, fuzzy ears of a wartortle. She blinked her heavy-lashed eyes as she fixed the three pokemon with a frown.

"'Bout time! I was wonderin' where our snack was. I just went and asked at the kitchen, and apparently you'd left with it ten minutes ago!"

Pixel feigned an embarrassed smile and rubbed a paw over the back of the head. Her chuckle mixed with N00b's and Switch's and the lillipup shook his head and waved a paw.

"I'm sorry," said Pixel. "We kind of got lost."

The wartortle shook her head slowly. "If three of you can't find Room B," she pointed a claw at the room, "when it's clearly signed, then what hope have you got of stayin' on here? Gimme that trolley."  
Pixel leant across it protectively, almost knocking over the pot of tea. The wartortle fixed her with a look of surprise and took a step back from her.

"Sorry!" Pixel gasped. "You see, we need the trolley."

"You need it? You always leave the trolley!"  
"Well... you see..." She trailed off. She wasn't good at this. Lying wasn't something she was comfortable with. Behind her, Switch clicked his beak thoughtfully.

"They've been stolen."

The wartortle crossed her arms. "High security ward and trolleys are being stolen? I find that highly doubtful. Aren't you new?"  
He closed his eyes and shrugged. "What can I say? This place has been rather lacking in its security. Whoever is meant to be in charge should be given a firm talking to about abandoning their post." He caught the wartortle's frown. "But you look very capable. I bet few could get past you, am I right?"

"Well, I..." She blushed and rubbed a paw over her head. "I do my best."

"I'm sure you do." Switch grinned. "Now, if you don't mind, we need to get this trolley back to the kitchen. So if you want to take your tray?"  
Her blushing smile transformed back into a bitter frown. "I told you, the policy is you leave the trolley! Now give it here before it all goes cold!" She grabbed the opposite end in both paws and pulled, stumbling back as its weight threw her off balance. She held on to the tablecloth and fell onto her back with a shrill shriek, cakes and tea raining down on top of her.

Pixel yanked the trolley back and shot past the flailing wartortle, the wheels clattering noisily as she bolted for the main door. It felt miles away, and the advancing audino drained what little hope was left from her body.

"What is going on?!" the audino screamed. "I thought you were interns!" Her eyes went to the bottom of the trolley, where the black and white arm of the meowstic was hanging free and bouncing along the floor.  
Switch gave her an apologetic smile and waved a wing as they sped towards the door. "Sorry. As I'm sure you've now noticed, we were actually on a rescue mission."

"Don't just stand there!" barked the wartortle. "Stop them!"

Pixel ventured a glance back. The wartortle had managed to climb back to her feet and was racing after them with a raichu and two growlithe. Her heart did a flip into her throat and she kicked the ground in a desperate bid to reach the door.

Not one of them wanted to be on the receiving end of that assault. The wartortle and raichu were troublesome for Switch, and she wasn't happy with the idea of being engulfed in the growlithes' flamethrowers. As for N00b, she doubted a pokemon so small would be able to handle an assault from four strong pokemon.

"You keep going!" Switch span to face the onslaught. "I'll hold them off."  
She looked back at him, her violet eyes as wide as saucers. "But... but you can't do it alone!"

He kicked himself up from the ground and lunged at them, his body a blur as he rocketed through the air. The raichu grunted as he struck him, sending him rolling away tail over head in an explosion of sparks until he crashed into a wall. Switch flailed backwards from him, struggling to stay airbourne as sparks danced across his feathers. His body stiffened and he collapsed to the floor, his wings splayed out at his sides.

Pixel had almost made it through the door, but her heart had frozen in her chest. All she could do was watch helplessly as the talonflame struggled to rise to his feet, watching as the wartortle prepared to finish him off.

She relinquished her grip on the trolley and leapt towards the turtle pokemon, slamming her horn hard into her gut. Her feet left the floor with the impact and she arced through the air, over the growlithes' flamethrowers as they aimed straight for Pixel.

A small collision knocked her sideways and the attacks missed their mark. One of the growlithe yelped as a yellow streak crashed into him, sending sparks along his body and leaving him in a crumpled pile beside the wartortle. N00b stood with his fur on end, facing the recovering raichu and the remaining growlithe. Pixel looked around the room, feeling increasingly helpless. Not only were two pokemon still facing them, the audino had hurried to aid the wartortle and other growlithe, a pulse of pink light emanating from her feelers and healing away the two fallen pokemon's wounds.

"Switch, can you stand?" Pixel asked.

He let out a groan as he strained to raise his head, fixing the advancing raichu with a leer. He opened his beak and spat out a single flame, causing the raichu to flinch back as it seared through to his flesh. Switch rounded on the wartortle, still receiving attention from the audino. Another flame spouted from him, burning her on the paw.

The audino looked back at him, eyes wide as her mouth hung open wordlessly. She looked around at her friends, eyeing the raichu as he beat at his singed fur, flinching in pain. The lone growlithe was looking to her for help, now outnumbered two-to-one.

She stood up and gave the talonflame a flustered sigh. A small bell began to chime from some hidden area on her body, and with it the burns healed away from her two friends.

Switch laughed and pushed himself to his feet. Two quick wisps flew from his beak, striking the wartortle and raichu before they could ready their attacks. Then, as quick as a heartbeat, flames erupted from his wings and engulfed the raichu, sending him running with his paws over his ears to escape the heat wave. The fire engulfed the walls, scattering those that couldn't take the heat.

"You moron!" the wartortle screeched. "You're gonna burn the place down!"

She leapt into action, spraying the walls with water which sizzled as it struck the smouldering surface.

"I'm sorry," said Switch. "I really didn't want to do this."

One of the growlithe shot from amongst the flames, snapping at his wings, only to be knocked back down with a full-body attack.

A stream of water clipped his tail feathers and he yelped, arcing in the air to fix his eyes on the wartortle. Pixel rushed at her and knocked her backwards into the audino's arms. She nimbly dodged a stream of fire from the remaining growlithe and watched gob-smacked as N00b rushed past her, his fur sparking, and crashed into the fire pokemon in a flash of dancing electricity, sending him rolling back through the dwindling flames.

"Hurry!" The urgency in Switch's voice shook her out of her momentary shock, and she bolted for the trolley.

N00b pawed at the door, trying to get it open, but it was no use. The automatic button wasn't working.

"They've disabled it!" he wailed. "There's no time for me to-"

Glass exploded outwards, raining down around them in tiny shards and clinging to Switch's feathers as he burst through the door, his body engulfed in flames. N00b flinched under the assault of falling shards and shook his head sharply as he raced through them. Pixel followed after him, the shouts of the opposing pokemon and glass striking the metal trolley loud in her ears.

"The N00b Mobile is just beyond the wall," N00b told her. "Can you carry the meowstic?"  
She grimaced. "I don't think so."  
Switch swooped from the air, knocking the trolley out of her grip as he grabbed for its passenger. The meowstic hung limply in his claws and Switch gave her a look of concern.

No wonder he'd been so quiet. The poor pokemon had fainted.

A streak of lightning cut through the air, and Switch swerved away from it with a squeak of surprise. Pixel glanced back at the east wing. Smoke billowed through the door, rising into the sky in a thick black cloud. The small group of pokemon stood amongst it. Not only had they recovered, they were now accompanied by two more. An exploud and Hertz. The gallade watched them silently as attacks went off around him, a look of disappointment in his eyes as he looked from her to the talonflame and back.

A loud horn rang out from behind her, and she span, vaulting the wall and landing nimbly in the seat behind N00b. The engine flared to life and the small car shot away from the hospital with such speed the wall shook, pushing her back into her seat.

Above them, Switch strained to keep up, holding fast to the limp meowstic.

"Where to?" N00b asked her.

"Cyan Island."

"Cyan Island, eh?"

He pawed at the computer, and Pixel watched in fascination as two slender wings erupted from the side of the car. Slowly, it began to rise into the air, and before she knew it they were above the roofs of the skyscrapers.

"This thing can fly?" she squeaked.

"Wow!" Switch appeared beside them, his wings beating in steadily to keep himself and his passenger airborne. "You never fail to amaze me, N00b."

"It's still in beta. I have no idea how safe it is." He flashed them a goofy grin. "Good thing Cyan Island isn't far away, huh?"

Cyan Island... It had been a default answer. There was no way Leaf was going to be happy with all of them landing on their base.

She looked up at the drifting continent moving slowly to the east in the distance. She couldn't really think of anywhere else to go.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	9. Berries

**A/N - whew, writer's block is a pain at times! I managed to write two and a half chapters this week. I think I might have conquered it! So updates should be back on track for the foreseeable future =)**

8 - Berries

Hertz scattered documents around his office, knocking over files and pen containers to join the shattered remains of a teacup and saucer on the ground. He span back towards his computer and gave the small waste paper basket another hefty kick. Sample ducked as it flew over his head and bounced off the closed door.

"I can't believe this has happened!" Hertz roared, not for the first time. "Make a note that I'm going to fire that useless wartortle! She was meant to be on duty and abandoned her post for _snack time_?!"

"You can't blame Mono." Sample spoke oddly quietly, probably too scared to use his natural decibel. "It's meant to be a high security ward."

"Yes, with guards!" Hertz rounded on him and clasped his paws behind his back, ignoring the pain radiating through them. "We were meant to be starting our tests tomorrow, and now we have no hope in finding a cure for this wretched virus!"

He corrected his fallen desk chair and fell down into it. The computer was off – most likely broken – but he steepled his paws together and leant forward on his elbows, staring at the blank screen.

How many pokemon had died of this virus? How many were suffering? Now they were robbed of their chance of what may have been a sure-fire remedy.

"I wouldn't beat yourself up over it," said Sample. "Or your office."

Hertz shot him an unamused glare.

The exploud cleared his throat and diverted his gaze. "You chipped him. Right?"

Hertz looked back at his screen. "Of course I chipped him."

"Then you can find him."  
He sighed and leant back in his seat, gingerly rubbing his paws together. "We would have had this done by now if it weren't for my wretched circulation."

"Yeh." Sample glanced away from him and rubbed a large paw over one of his pipes. "We also would have been done if you hadn't felt the need to oversee the procedure."

"Are you blaming this on me?"

"No, no!" Sample waved his paws. "When you take that medication, you're in no fit mindset to do anything! What I'm trying to say is, lots of things have gone wrong lately. I think we need better security, and to send someone out to retrieve the meowstic."

"Good idea." Hertz looked over at him, and the exploud cowered back from his intense stare. "I think you'd be the ideal candidate for that. And if Mono values her job, take her with you."

"What about you?"  
He sighed and placed his face in his paws, his icy-cold pads cruelly reminding him he hadn't taken his medication that morning. Figy berries. They might well help his circulation, but they were the bane of his existence.

"I'll be at home," he said flatly.

...

The little car touched down on the island and slowed to a stop. The cool air stilled around them, drastically contrasting the desert wilderness passing below them.

"Ahh!" Switch placed the meowstic on the soft grass and landed beside him in his human form. He raised his arms over his head and stretched. "So good to be back to my normal self!"

"Tell me about it!" N00b removed his flight goggles and flopped onto his back in the long grass. "Oh, I'm exhausted!"

Pixel leapt out of the car and rushed over to the meowstic, automatically checking for a pulse. A wave of relief washed over her when she found one and she stood up, looking back out at the world below. It had taken so long to reach the island, and the meowstic hadn't made so much as a peep the whole flight. She'd begun to fear the worst.

She stood up and pressed a paw to her goggle strap. "Leaf? I'm back."

"I noticed," came the ivysaur's voice. "I'm already on my way to you. I noticed you brought company?"

She grimaced. "I didn't have much choice."

"So, this is your home?" N00b trotted over to her side, looking left and right as he took in the vibrant scenery. He gave a look over the edge of the drifting continent and let out a long whistle. "Living the life of luxury up here, aren't you?"

She wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not. Regardless, she gave him a warm smile.

"I wouldn't call it luxury, but I like it here. It's home, and it's safe from the rough pokemon that live on the land. Besides, you two shouldn't - "

Switch rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. Authorised pokemon only."

"Authorised?" N00b looked up at her and grinned. "We're with you aren't we? You're our ticket! Now, what exactly are you doing up here? All I see are some scattered houses and an old ruin." He fixed his eyes on the crumbling tower to their right.

Pixel scratched her head beneath her goggles and pursed her lips in thought. "Well, you did help me. Leaf's on his way over, maybe he won't mind me showing you around the residential area?"

N00b's tail became a blur behind him. "I'll do you a deal! You can show Switch the houses, and I'll check out the awesome ruin over there!"

She placed a paw to her mouth and chuckled. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why? You hiding something?"

"Leave it, N00b," said Switch. "The girl said no."

The long grass swayed erratically, and parted beside them as Leaf burst through on all fours. He rose up onto his hind legs and eyed Switch and N00b curiously before looking down at the oddly coloured meowstic.

"Are you sure he's not infected?" His voice wavered so much with worry that it became oddly shrill.

"Positive," said Pixel. "He wasn't being held in quarantine."

He clicked his tongue and turned his attention to her. "Then what happened to him?"  
"He found out what the hospital's plans were and fainted," she said.

"I meant his colour!"

Pixel shrugged and he gave a small sigh as he looked back down at the meowstic.

"And he's been like this since he fainted?" He sighed and ran a paw over his head. "I don't like this. He looks infected."

"I can assure you he's not," she said. "He wasn't in quarantine. They're more strict than that."

"I know they are. It's just a little hard to believe. Male meowstic are meant to be blue and white not white and black." He paused and rubbed his head again thoughtfully. "I think we need to get him to a bed and get his adrenaline flowing somehow."  
"I think he just needs some rest," said Switch. "He'll recover."  
Leaf crouched down beside the meowstic but didn't look up at Switch. "Thank you for your help. But I'd appreciate it if you left. You're not meant to be on this island."

"Aww, come on!" N00b bounced up and down on his toes. "Pixel promised us a look around!"  
Leaf's eyes snapped up to look at Pixel and she glanced from him to the lillipup and back. "I did no such thing! I said if Leaf's happy to -"

He waved a large paw and looked back down at the meowstic. "I can't permit it. No unauthorised strangers. I have a spare room. The meowstic can rest there."

N00b's ears drooped and he looked down at the ground. "Okay... I'll get my car."

"Don't worry, kid," said Switch. "Connor will want us back soon anyway. We should hurry."

He paused with a finger to his watch as Leaf stumbled backwards with the meowstic in his arms.

A smile played at the corner of his lips. "Need a hand?"

Leaf snorted at his question and staggered forwards, almost dropping the unconscious pokemon back on the ground. Pixel reached out a paw to steady him and he regained his footing.

"Are you sure you can carry him all that way?" she asked him.

He clenched his jaw together and closed his eyes. "All right. You can call carrying him a look around the village, okay?"

Switch chuckled and took the meowstic from him. "Okay, you twisted my arm."  
N00b skipped along beside them, his tail wagging jovially.

"It's pretty awesome having a human around, huh?" he said. "They can carry you when your legs are tired, reach berries from higher branches, lift heavy things."

"So can a tyranitar," said Leaf.

"Yeh, but..." N00b exchanged glances with Switch and raised an eyebrow.

"You could try being a bit nicer," said Pixel. "They did just help me out on this mission."

"I wasn't happy with you taking this 'mission' in the first place," said Leaf. "Were you seen?"

She grimaced and wrung her paws together. "Actually, yes."

He slammed a paw into his snout. "Wonderful! So that means you're a wanted pokemon now?"  
"Wanted by criminals," said Switch. "What they were planning was abhorrent."

N00b bounced up and down with each word. "Warped! Twisted!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you," said Leaf. "But we're meant to be assisting pokemon by taking on cases that the police or government don't want anything to do with. Not causing trouble for them!"  
Pixel gave a flustered sigh and ran a paw over her face. "We slipped up, okay! But we managed to rescue the victim in all this."

"Yeh!" N00b grinned. "Look on the bright side! Sun's shining, and we saved a life!"  
Leaf said nothing, fumbling for his card key as they trudged the rest of the way over the meadow. He paused beside a squat house amongst houses of various sizes. Some were large enough to accommodate a charizard – something that they'd had to bare in mind when Nano joined them – while others were small enough to not drown pokemon such as Pixel or Leaf.

He scanned his card over the door panel and opened it, allowing Switch and N00b to enter before him.

"Wow!" Switch had to duck down as he made his way through the living room after Leaf. "Now I know how Alice felt inside the White Rabbit's house."

The three pokemon looked back at him with equal looks of confusion.

Pixel inclined her head on one side. "Huh?"

He waved a hand, steadying the meowstic on his other arm. "Nothing. Just something from my world."  
Leaf opened one of the bedroom doors and nodded to it. "You can place him on the bed. I'll just grab a blanket for him."

He moved across to the room opposite and Pixel followed him inside. She watched the ivysaur as he opened a draw beneath his bed then looked around the room, her eyes landing on a photo on the bedside table. She picked it up absently as she looked at the two laughing pokemon – Leaf and a mew wearing a green scarf with white-framed glasses on her head. The lenses didn't match. One was blue and the other red. She knew the photo all too well, especially since she'd been the one who'd taken it two years earlier. Retro had both her paws over Leaf's eyes, and even though she'd surprised him he'd been laughing like a loon.

"Here it is!" Leaf stood up with a brown blanket bundled in his arms. He eyed Pixel curiously as she placed the photo back on the night stand. "I think I have some sitrus berries. If we drain them into some water that might perk him up."

"Maybe." She gave the photo another glance. "I miss her too, you know. I think we all do."

"We'll find her." He moved over to the door and she turned to follow him.

"Do you really believe that?" she asked.

He paused with one paw on the handle and glanced back at her, but he said nothing as he pulled the door open and strolled across to the opposite room.

"If you could look for those berries, Pixel?" He tossed the blanket over the meowstic and looked back at her. "I might have some in my fridge."

She stared at him for a moment, then moved over to the living room's adjoining kitchen. She couldn't shake that look he'd given her. That look that said he was only holding on to the faintest of hopes. As she fumbled through the assorted berries in the fridge, she caught the conversation going on in the bedroom.

"How do you expect him to eat berries?" N00b asked. "He aint gonna be swallowing anything in this state."

"We'll manage, don't you worry."

Part of her wondered if he was even talking about the berries.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	10. Stranded

**A/N - Two updates in one week?! Woo! I really want to make up for the hiatus, and since I'm writing so much lately (Camp NaNoWriMo motivates me...) I thought why not do an extra update? So if keep doing well, I'll stick to Friday and Monday uploads =)**

 **Thanks for all reviews and faves! =D**

...

9 - Stranded

N00b sat back in his driving seat and absently scratched his ear with a back paw. He tried to rev up the engine once more, but the engine gave out a mechanical wheeze and stuttered before dying out. The lillipup slumped forward onto the dashboard with a flustered sigh.

"This car aint going anywhere fast," he said.

"I don't get it," said Pixel. "It was working fine before."

"I did say a lot of it is still in beta. It clearly has a fault that puts a lot of stress on the battery."

"What's wrong with it?" Leaf paced back and forth before the car, but Pixel knew full well any interest he was showing was just an act. He didn't know the first thing about being an engineer.

"The battery's dead. If I could get it working, there would be no problem," explained N00b. "However, I've no means to charge it."

"We have two emolga here," said Pixel. "They could charge it for you?"

N00b removed his goggles and wiped one of the lenses on the fur of his chest. "They could try, but they'd need to be careful not to blow the battery up."

Leaf was already talking loudly into his microphone for the emolga twins, now standing with his back to the car. Pixel watched as N00b lifted up the hood and prodded at the complex machinery, not for the first time. He muttered something about a loose wire and climbed into the car to try again, but the engine didn't so much as cough.

"Is it more than just the battery?" Pixel asked.

"No. I thought it might be, but..." N00b scratched his ear again, something Pixel was beginning to wonder might be some kind of nervous habit. "If I can't get the engine started, I won't be going anywhere."

"Hey," said Switch. "I can always carry you back."

N00b visibly shuddered. "I'm sorry. I'm not comfortable with that. I get terribly motion sick, and flying... don't get me started on flying."

"But... you drive," said Pixel. "And your car flies!"

"It's different if it's my own driving! I'm in charge of the vehicle and I'm fully focused." He looked up as two small voices called out to them. The emolga twins hopped and glided over the grass towards them. Immediately his tail started wagging and he turned to Leaf. "Are these who you were talking about?"

"Yes. Meet Nybble and Byte," Leaf answered. "Hopefully they'll be able to get your car started."

"What?" Byte stopped beside them and peered at the contraption. "This thing?"

"You might be able to help me." N00b hopped from the car and indicated the battery. "Would you mind giving this a gentle charge?"

Byte stared thoughtfully at the engine and scratched his nose. "Is it safe?"

N00b gave him a nervous smile. "If you're gentle, yes."

Nybble leapt back from the car and hid behind Leaf. "I'm not touching that thing!"

"Come on, guys!" whined Leaf. "If you can't get their car started, they'll never be able to leave... I mean... go home."

Switch rolled his eyes. "If he'd let me carry him back, we'd be out of your hair in a heartbeat."

Byte eyed the battery and gave a confident nod. "All right. I think I can do this." He placed a paw on either side of the battery and electricity sparked from his cheeks, running through his body and out of his paws.

The group watched with fascination as the pin on the battery's dial span from red to green. Byte removed his paws and turned to the lillipup.

"Is that enough?"

The pin slowly retreated backwards towards the negative end of the scale.

N00b grit his teeth together and his ears drooped. "It's discharging power. I think it's well and truly had it."

Leaf grimaced. "Is it enough to get you home?"

The lillipup shook his head. "Not even close. Not from the desert all the way to Spool anyway."

Switch stretched and yawned widely. "It's not too far to the next city. I can fly out and pick up a spare."

"You're exhausted," said N00b. "Are you sure you can make it?"

"I've travelled in worse conditions."

"I doubt anywhere will be open now." Pixel looked out at the setting sun in the distance, dying the sky in a vibrant orange. The heavy, jagged lines cut across it in an erratic pattern that reminded her of shattered glass. "You will be hard pressed to get one."

Leaf rubbed the back of his head with a paw and looked away from them with a heavy sigh. He waved them away and turned back towards the tower. "Stay here. You can head off first thing in the morning."

"Are you sure we're not intruding?" The sarcasm in Switch's voice didn't fall on deaf ears.

Leaf looked back at him and narrowed his eyes. N00b looked from the ivysaur to his friend and back, and his ears flopped to the side of his head as he lowered himself to the ground. Leaf turned away and trudged towards the crumbling tower.

"Wow." Switch looked down at N00b. "Are you sure you don't want a lift back down to the ground?"

N00b fixed him with wide puppy eyes and let out a high pitched whine.

Switch sighed and turned to Pixel. "I'm really sorry we can't get the car working."

"It doesn't bother me." She turned and headed back towards the little houses. "Just stay out of his way for a while."

A burst of static hit her ear, followed by Leaf's quiet voice. "Pixel?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to leave the meowstic unattended, or those two. So could you all stay in my house and not let any of them wander around unsupervised?"

"I don't know if they'd be comfortable with that." She glanced back at them still standing beside the car. "You've not exactly made them feel welcome."

There was a pause, but she could still hear him breathing on the other end of the line.

"Okay," he said. "Having strangers on the island makes me nervous. Apologise for me?"

"You can do that when you arrive home later."

"I won't be coming home. I have work to do, so I'm staying in the control room."

Pixel let out a long breath. "Come on, Leaf. You can't stay up all night. You need your rest."

"I'm staying here. You lot stay at mine, but I must implore they stay out of my room."

She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. "Fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

The communication broke off and she turned back to the car. Switch was sprawled on the grass with his back against it looking out at the sky with a rather depressed-looking N00b. Neither of them wanted to be on this island, and Leaf's reaction hadn't helped matters. She just had to hope passing on his apology would help to fix things.

"Hey." She stopped in front of Switch and he fixed his golden eyes on hers. "Leaf sends his apology. He's not used to strangers visiting Cyan Island."

Switch closed his eyes and shrugged. "That's pretty obvious. Don't worry, I don't hold grudges."

"Neither do I," said N00b. "I like anyone so long as they don't hurt my friends or pull my tail."

Switch laughed and ruffled the fur between N00b's ears. The lillipup's tail struck the ground repeatedly as he chuckled and pushed Switch's hand away with a tiny paw.

"Anyway," said N00b. "I'm gonna sleep in the car. See you in the morning."

Pixel raised a paw to stop him. "Actually! Leaf offered for you to stay in his house."

"What?" Switch raised an eyebrow. "Both of us?"

"Yes."

"But... it's tiny. Is there room?"

She giggled. "It's not that tiny."

He shrugged. "Sure. I'll curl up on the floor like a sandshrew. Come on, N00b."

He rose to his feet and followed after her. When she reached his house, she absently swiped her card key across the panel. The door opened, which gave her a mild shock. She hadn't expected it too. Ordinarily they wouldn't, but she'd almost forgotten that Leaf had validated all their card keys to work on every house on Cyan Island after the virus outbreak. It was better to be safe than sorry, and one might find themselves in a situation where they needed to urgently lock down a house for quarantine, or get inside to rescue someone.

Switch ducked into the house behind her, and adopted a corner beside the door. Sat down, he looked a lot more comfortable. The ceiling was four and a half feet off the ground. Ample room for an ivysaur but a bit too low for someone of Switch's height. N00b hopped onto the sofa and curled up into a ball, immediately making himself at home.

Pixel wandered into the adjoining kitchenette and poured them each a glass of bottled water. Since Cyan Island didn't have a river or an accessible water source, they had to buy it on the ground and bring it back up.

Switch accepted his glass gratefully and sipped at it, keeping one eye on the window.

"I wonder how our new friend is?" he asked.

Pixel glanced over at the corridor, eyeing the closed door to the meowstic's room. "I've no idea. Leaf didn't seem too concerned after giving him sitrus juice."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and sipped at his water. Pixel expected him to say something since he didn't look convinced, but instead he looked over at N00b and smiled.

Soft snores rose from the sleeping lillipup and she couldn't help but smile herself. She leant back in her seat and turned back to Switch.

"You two seem close," she said. "How did you meet?"

He chuckled and placed his glass on the floor. "It's actually a long story."

She shrugged. "We've got time."

He ran a hand through his untidy hair and glanced over at the door. "I guess you're right. Well, I may as well tell you, huh? We've got nothing better to do." He shifted against the wall and crossed one leg over the other. "When I first arrived in this world twelve years ago, I told you I kept going back and forth between a talonflame and a human. Well, unfortunately I suffered quite badly with it and ended up in the hospital wards with the other humans who weren't coping well. Those who'd ended up in comas. They kept expecting me to do the same, but something kept me going. Hope they could help me, I guess." He shrugged. "I was there for two years, changing form every few minutes. It was exhausting. I slept most of the day just trying to keep my strength up.

"Then one day, the doctor walks in and tells me someone was there to claim me. Two pokemon who claimed I was a friend of theirs. When he stood aside, there were two small pokemon - a helioptile and a lillipup." He nodded to N00b. "I hadn't a clue who they were, but I didn't say so. For all I knew, they were friends of mine from my world who had their forms changed. I was wrong.

"The pair of them were normal pokemon hatchlings, but they told me they had a friend who was a human, but he refused to go outside. He was looking for a way to change his form back, and needed someone to test it on. They promised me if the device worked on me, then they could make me one too, and I'd be able to stay as a human and help them to find a way back.

"Needless to say, I took the offer. I was clutching at straws at this point. If medicine couldn't help me, and what these two pokemon were offering might, then I was willing to trust them.

"They resided just outside Meta City, in Spool. Their friend, a human turned into a pikachu, was all too keen to get the experiment started. What they'd devised looked just like a watch. All I had to do was put it on and press the button. Easier said than done when your form keeps changing, but once I had it on and I pressed that button, the form stuck. There I stood, as a human, no going back and forth. He asked me to press it again, and my form flipped back to a talonflame. Again, back to a human.

"When the pikachu tried it, however, it failed. He was less than impressed, and after a bit of a tantrum decided I could keep it on one condition – I help him whenever he needed it."

He drifted off, spinning the watch around on his wrist with his other hand. Pixel stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to go on, and when he didn't she decided to speak up.

"So you've been with him ever since?"

He looked up at her and shook his head. "No. A few days later, I parted ways. I went exploring, and found myself helping out a group of pokemon on Luma Island."

Pixel's eyes widened. "That's one of the drifting continents!"

He laughed. "Yes, it is. I joined their investigation team and stayed there for a couple of years before moving on. I'd got a message off Connor telling me they were close to figuring out a way to get back home, and he wanted my help." He smiled and tapped his nose. "That's a secret, by the way. Keep it hushed."

She laughed and waved a paw. "Of course. I mean, you want to go home clearly. It's not my concern, I won't say a thing."

He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. A loud thud from the corridor caused his eyes to snap back open again, and startled N00b so much he leapt to his feet and stood with his tail rigid and ears pricked upright. All of them turned to face the sound as a yell and another thud resounded from the corridor as something bashed into the closed door. It exploded off its hinges and the white and black meowstic dashed from it and stood, frozen amongst a rain of splintered wood, as he stared at them. He took a step back and raised his paws, narrowing his eyes as he prepared to raise his ears in an attack. His breaths were coming quick and heavy, and his fur bristled down his back.

"Where am I?!" he roared.

Pixel stood up and raised her paws. "You're safe."

He shook his head. "You abducted me!"

"We didn't-"

"I remember now! You came into the hospital and told me some outrageous lie! And now... what do you want with me?!"

"We saved your life," Switch said firmly.

The meowstic turned his attention to him and his jaw dropped. He waved a paw pointedly and took a step back.

"No... I know what this is... you... you want me... I'm not going back there!"

The strength seemed to leave his body and he stumbled backwards. Pixel rushed over to him and steadied him on her arm.

"Okay. You need to sit down, you're delirious." She led him to the sofa and he fell down into it, followed by a cool glass pressed into his paws. "Drink that."

He tentatively sipped at the water, then gulped it down in three mouthfuls, setting it back down on the table.

"Now." She sat down beside him and smiled. "What's your name?"

He hunched forwards and wrung his paws together, keeping a watchful eye on Switch.

"Vector," he said.

"Okay, Vector. You're safe here. Those doctors wanted to run dangerous experiments on you at risk of your life. You remember us showing you their records?"

"That was their records?!" He clenched his teeth together and covered his face with his paws. "I thought they were helping me..."

"But you don't have the virus," Pixel explained. "What were you even doing there?"

"Have you even looked at me?"

She cast her eyes over his white fur. "I suppose..."

"One would think I had the virus. After what I went through..." His voice trailed off to almost a whisper. "They all died... why did I...?"

Pixel caught Switch and N00b's confused glances and they all turned back to Vector.

"They all died?" she asked. "Who? What happened to you?"

He stared over his paws at the wall, his body rigid. Pixel placed a paw on his back, but when he didn't respond she looked over at Switch and N00b.

"I think he's got some kind of post traumatic stress disorder," she said.

Switch looked back up at the meowstic. "How long have you been like this, Vector?"

Vector turned his eyes to look at him, then closed them and lowered his paws with a sigh. "I can't even remember... weeks?"

"Weeks, huh?" Switch ran his fingers through his hair and looked away. "Weeks... they all died..." He looked back up at him. "Were you amidst that flash?"

Vector stiffened again and his body began to tremble. Pixel turned to face Switch, and he kept his eyes on the meowstic as he waited for a reply. Even N00b was trembling as he looked from the human to the meowstic and back.

"The flash?" Pixel shook her head in amazement. "You mean that freak incident some believe happened at the Fracture several weeks ago? Nobody knows what happened there, Switch. It's believed to be a rumour started by conspiracy theorists. Especially those looking for an answer to the virus's origin."

"No, it happened," Switch said bluntly. "I saw it, and with the way he's behaving, I think he was there."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	11. Conspiracy Vs Reality

**A/N - Camp NaNoWriMo is certainly keeping me in shape writing-wise! Thanks again for all reads, reviews, faves and follows!**

10 – Conspiracy Vs Reality

Vector continued to stare at the wall, his eyes glazed over as his mind went back to some hidden traumatic event. The look on Switch's face contrasted with the pokemon's drastically as he folded his arms behind his head and leant back against the wall, eyeing Pixel as she looked between them both, desperate for an explanation. The room had fallen into silence when Vector refused to give any information. The only vocalisation she had expressed was a long, drawn out 'huh?!' of such a high note it had hurt N00b's sensitive ears.

"You saw it?" Her heart was still racing. The reaction from the meowstic had made Switch's statement seem more concrete, and she really didn't like it. "It's not just a conspiracy? You were both there?!"

Switch closed his eyes. "I was flying overhead. I never saw any other pokemon in the vicinity. I wasn't really looking for anyone."

"But it happened at the Fracture. Right?" She shook her head in disbelief. "What were you doing there?"

"I was trying to find scrap machine parts for Connor, and the abandoned towns and cities seemed like a good place to look." He opened one eye and fixed it on Vector. "I can't speak for him, however."

Pixel looked down at N00b who avoided eye contact as he silently sank down beside the wall.

"Did you know about this?" she asked.

He nodded sullenly and stared down at his paws.

"I'm not angry with you," she said. "I'm just confused. Why has this been dismissed as a conspiracy theory if three of you here witnessed it?"

N00b raised a paw. "I didn't witness it. Switch told us about it, and I believe him."

She looked back up at Switch and he shrugged.

"You know as well as I do that there are no inhabitants living within a forty mile radius around the Fracture," he said. "Witnesses are so small in number that the government believe we've formed together to come up with some far-fetched story that's been dismissed as nonsense."

Pixel rubbed her paws together. "But... the virus and the cracks. Surely they must believe it now, if they're linked?"

"Of course they're linked." Vector's voice startled Pixel and she span in her seat to face him. He continued to stare at the wall, but his eyes looked more focused now. "That explosion, or flash, whatever you want to call it... I was only conscious for a short time. It almost blinded me, but I saw what happened to the world as it came into contact with it – and with me. My appearance should be enough clarification that the virus is linked to that 'flash'."

Switch quickly looked him up and down. "But you're not infected."

Vector struck his lap with both paws, the sudden movement causing Pixel to scoot backwards into the arm of the chair. "But I must have been! Look at me! I don't even have my own abilities any more! I don't even have a type... not psychic, or normal... nothing..." He placed his head in his paws and hunched forwards, letting out a low groan. "They scanned me, and it came back with nothing. If I don't have the virus, then what happened to me?"

The other three exchanged confused glances. Whatever had happened to him, they were no wiser than the doctors who'd checked over him.

N00b cleared his throat and looked up at him. "Maybe it cured itself."

"That's what they think," said Vector. "Or that I have antibodies that can fight it."

"And that's why they wanted to run tests on you," said Switch. "They saw you as a potential cure."

Vector flopped backwards into the sofa with a sigh and pressed his arm across his face. "I went to them for help... and they were going to turn me into some kind of experiment? I can't believe it."

"Well, you're safe now," said Pixel. "You should probably get some more rest. You look exhausted."

"Maybe." He pushed himself forward and stood up. "I'm afraid I broke the wardrobe... and the door."  
"It's okay," said Pixel. "I'm sure we can fix them."

N00b struck the floor repeatedly with his tail. "Don't worry! I can fix them in a jiffy!"  
Vector said nothing as he moved towards the corridor. Pixel watched him for a moment then stood and pointed to the kitchen.

"If you're hungry, I can make you some soup?"

He stopped by the broken door and shrugged. "Sure. That would be great."

She watched him vanish into the room and smiled. A successful mission. The meowstic was safe, he didn't have the virus, and they may be a step closer to finding its origin if the 'flash' wasn't a mere myth. She trotted over to the kitchenette and rummaged through Leaf's refrigerator. Hopefully he wouldn't mind. Whatever she used, she'd make sure she replaced. With a cabbage in one hand and a bag of various berries in the other, she looked back at the human and his friend.

"I hope you like berry soup. It's Leaf's favourite, and I think it might cheer him up a bit."

N00b wagged his tail and hopped to his feet, skipping in circles. "I love berry soup!"

After a hearty meal, the living room was filled with soft snores as N00b fell asleep on the sofa at Pixel's feet. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling, her mind reeling with questions.

Vector's words rang out in her mind. ' _Of course they're linked._ ' He hadn't gone into detail. He hadn't explained what the 'flash' was or what had caused it.

The black cracks... the virus... how much did he know? What had he seen? And most of all, would he even be willing to tell them?

...

Sample mumbled under his breath and gave the pocket computer a shake. Not that he expected it to help. It was more out of frustration. The device hadn't picked up the meowstic's chip, which meant he wasn't in the near vicinity.

"Tryin' to shake some sense into it?" Mono folded her arms and crinkled her nose as she turned away from him and looked out at the city. "I already told you he took off in a flyin' car."

"Yeh, but he could be in the city!" Sample boomed.

She covered her ears with her paws and flinched away from him. "Keep it down, ya big goof!"

He fired air through his nose and marched away from her, staring down at his pocket computer as though it was going to throw an answer at him at any moment. He had to quickly side-step a street lamp which seemed to leap up from the ground before him. Mono laughed mockingly as she trotted after him.

"I was waitin' for you to walk straight into that one! Woulda made my day!"  
"Shut up and make yourself useful." He span and pushed the computer into her paws. "I'm gonna pop into that cafe for a coffee. You keep searching for him."

"What?!" She frowned and held it back out to him. "You do it! It's your computer!"

"Your the one who lost him! Do you want to keep your job? 'Cos Hertz was all for firing you!"

She looked away and muttered something incoherent. Sample snorted and turned away, strutting into the coffee shop. A sharp beep froze him in his tracks and he turned back to Mono, who was staring aghast at the screen.

"What's it doin'?" she shrieked. "It's gone all green on me!"  
He snatched it back and watched as a green dot rippled on the top left corner of the screen. It was above them? He looked up, searching through the clouds and his eyes widened as they landed on the distant form of the drifting continent, slowly making its way towards the outskirts of Meta City.

"He's on the drifting continent..."

"I _told_ you he took off in a flyin' car!"

"Yeh, but you never mentioned no drifting continent." Sample dialled a number into the computer and held it to his ear.

"How do you expect us to get up there?"

"Same way he did. We fly."

"We can't fly!"

"I hope you're not motion sick then." He looked over his shoulder at her as the dialling tone rang repetitively in his ear. "'Cos the only way we're getting up there is on the back of a pidgeot."

...

Pixel had decided to sit out in the meadow for breakfast to enjoy the early morning sun. The air was cool, and within moments the sun's rays had dried the dew on the grass. The sparse clouds provided a fantastic view of the cities as Cyan Island headed towards them, Meta's skyscrapers looming over the rest of the buildings along with the giant antennae flickering its blue and green light. The view would have been relaxing if it weren't for the ominous, jagged black lines that marred the scenery.

She nibbled on her apple, trying to ignore those black cracks, but the sinking feeling that they posed a much bigger threat than any of the news headlines had stated filled her with an overwhelming anxiety that made her wish she'd just stayed indoors to eat. Or at least wish it was too cloudy to actually see the world below. She placed the half-eaten apple back on her plate with a small sigh and leant back on her paws, looking back at her house.

Switch followed her gaze and gave her a look of concern. "Are you all right, Pixel?"

She looked back round at him and caught the questioning gazes of N00b and Vector. It had been a pleasant surprise to find the meowstic was in a much better state of health. He'd already consumed two plate's worth of berry toast and was tucking into his third. Maybe he'd be up for answering a barrage of questions, but she didn't really want to start now and ruin everyone's breakfast.

Instead, she forced a smile and retrieved her apple. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."

N00b made a thoughtful noise and looked up at the sky. "I think all the time."

"Even when sleeping?" Pixel joked.

"Even when sleeping!" said N00b. "I've come up with some pretty awesome ideas asleep, although... sometimes they don't work because they're just too far-fetched."

"It's a shame you can't design a dynamo," said Switch.

"It's not that I can't, it's that I don't have the parts to make one. I'm an inventor, not an iron smith. I can't just make the parts from scratch." His ears drooped slightly and he diverted his gaze, tucking back into his toast.

"A dynamo?" Vector raised an eyebrow. "What on earth do you want one of those for?"

"I can't go into detail," said Switch. "All I can tell you is the machine we're making needs one."

"Huh." Vector lowered his plate and stared thoughtfully at the tree behind Pixel. "I don't know where you'd find one of those. They're rather obsolete."  
"Unfortunately I can't devise another option." N00b stood up and nodded at Pixel. "Thanks for breakfast. I'm going to try and get the car moving now. Are your emolga friends available?"  
Switch placed his plate on the ground. "You're heading back now?"

"Yup! I think we're close enough that the car can make it into the city. Maybe all the way back to Spool."

"Spool?" Vector eyed the lillipup then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I hitch a lift with you?"

"Sure!"

"You're leaving?" Pixel asked. "Where are you going to go?"

Vector shrugged. "I actually don't know. But I need to find a way to turn myself back. I can't just hang around here forever."

"Oh. Well, we can't force you to stay. If you think you're well enough to leave-"

"I'm fine."

She paused for a moment, a little taken aback by his abruptness. The other two had fallen silent, save for the munching of toast from Switch.

Turning to the lillipup, she forced a smile. "If you're really okay to drive, N00b, then I'll call the twins out now. They shouldn't be long."

"Excellent!" Switch dusted crumbs from his clothes and hands and stood up to follow the little terrier pokemon.

Pixel quickly fired a message to Nybble and Byte then stood and made her way to the car. Vector zipped past her, joining Switch and N00b beside the little car. He eyed it curiously and followed the lillipup around to the hood.

"It's just a flat battery," N00b explained. "Once it's got some juice in it, it should be good to go for a short while."

"It won't charge while the engine's running?" Vector asked. "If so, you could go from one end of System to the next after a quick blast from the emolga, even if it won't hold a charge."

N00b shook his head. "I didn't design it that way, no room in the hood. It runs completely off a battery. Most of the vehicle's in beta. I guess I could make room for a combustion engine, but I kinda modelled it off one of the automatic lorries. It even has an anti-collision system."

Vector's torso had vanished beneath the hood while N00b was talking. Pixel watched his two tails twitch as he fumbled about inside. He pushed himself back and wiped a paw across his head to push back the black tuft of fur between his ears.

"If you want, I can stick with you for a bit and help you add a battery charger."

N00b's little nose crinkled with confusion. "You're a mechanic?"

Vector shrugged.

"Huh." N00b and Switch exchanged glances. "You know what? We could probably use your help. What do you think, Switch?"

Switch closed his eyes and grinned. "Sure! Once he gets past Connor's rigorous interrogation session."

"I take it he doesn't trust others?" asked Pixel.

He tapped his nose with a finger. "No. He likes to keep our group secret."  
"Huh." Vector crossed his arms and frowned down at the engine. "Secrets, huh? I don't want to help you if I don't know what I'm helping with. I assume since you're human yourself, it's not one of those 'anti-human groups', though."

"I'm guessing you're not anti-human?" Pixel asked.

"Not at all! I spent years trying to help them get back home."

N00b's eyes flew wide open. "Really?!"

"Yeh. Guess there's no harm in telling you since the entire of Bridge was killed in that explosion."

"So... you were trying to help humans get back home." She looked back up at Switch and he winked.

"If you want to help us, I'm sure Connor would be grateful for it," he told Vector.

"You're trying to get home, huh?" Vector rubbed his nose.

Switch shrugged. "Aren't all humans?"

"All right. It certainly saves walking the streets and risking being turfed back into that hospital. Just bare in mind I'm looking for a cure to my condition, so my focus will be somewhat shared with that."

"We're sorry!" Nybble came to a halt beside Vector and squeaked, leaping back and almost crashing into Byte.

"We were helping Leaf," explained Byte. "So, you want me to power up your car again?"

"Please!" N00b bounced over to him. "Enough to get it in the green, then we'll be out of your fur!"

"All right!" Byte's cheeks sparked and he clasped onto both pins of the battery. "Stand back!"  
The group obliged, watching the emolga as electricity ran from his body and flowed into the battery. Once done, he hopped back and clapped his paws together to remove the grease.

"All done! You're ready to go."

"Hah!" N00b hopped into his car with a cheer. "Thank you, little emolga! I could hug you, but I don't want to risk being electrocuted."

"Isn't Leaf coming to say goodbye?" Switch asked. "I wanted to thank him for his hospitality."

Nybble and Byte shook their heads in unison.

"Said he's busy," said Nybble.

Switch shrugged. "Oh well. Give him this." He handed the emolga a single gold coin.

"Five hundred credits?" Byte gasped. "What for?"

"Letting us stay in his home." He laughed at the identical confused looks on their faces. "You didn't seriously think we were going to free-load, did you?"

"You don't need to do that," said Pixel. She rubbed the back of her head, feeling her face heat up with embarrassment. "You helped me rescue Vector. I should be paying _you_."

Switch waved her off. "Forget it. Owe me a favour instead." He pushed the button on his watch and his form warped and shrank down into a talonflame, eliciting another squeak of surprise from Nybble. "All right, get your car in gear, N00b. We're off."

The little car revved into life and N00b pulled his flying goggles down over his eyes. He looked over at Vector and tapped the seat behind him.

"Come on. It's safe."

Vector tore his eyes from the transformed Switch to move over to the car and braced himself to leap in, but froze as his pale blue eyes widened at something moving in the distance.

The others followed his gaze and Pixel let out a small gasp. Two winged shapes were flying towards the island, and they weren't alone.

"Are those pidgeot?" she asked.

Switch narrowed his eyes into a frown. "Yeh. And they're carrying someone on their backs."

"Can you make out who?"

"An exploud. And... is that a wartortle?" He threw his wings into the air in exasperation. "You have to be kidding me!"

Vector's paw tightened over the metal door. "Are they from the hospital?"

"I can't think of any other reason they'd be flying here. Unless they're customers." Switch looked back at Pixel. "How many pokemon know of your investigation team on this island?"

She felt her eyes widen. "You know we're an investigation team?"

"I'm not stupid. I helped one out and your island is very similar, not to mention you were adamant on rescuing a pokemon who was likely going to be overlooked by the police."

She clenched her teeth together and watched the flying shapes as they drew dangerously closer.

"They're not customers. No one knows where our base is. All pokemon would see if they landed here is a ruin and a village. Requests for help go into a universal database that is accessed by all teams. No location is ever given." She flinched and looked at each of her friends in turn. "Please don't tell anyone. We'd be destroyed."

Switch stared at her for a moment then nodded, turning back to the flying threat.

"I'll intersect them and throw them off. When it's safe, N00b, head back to Spool." He spread his wings and launched himself into the air, zooming towards the pidgeot.

"How have they found me?" Vector asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing." Pixel pulled her computer tablet out of her bag and turned to him, scanning the computer over his body.

A small beep was audible over the sound of the car's engine and she looked down at the screen. No red. Instead it showed a small profile for a meowstic with no photo. It had his name 'Vector', his gender and an age of nineteen. His occupation was apparently an analyst and his home was listed as Central Meta Hospital.

"They said they couldn't identify you," she said. "But you have a chip."

He looked over her shoulder at the information and frowned. "The only things correct on there are my gender and name."

She looked back out at the pidgeot. "I... I think they gave you a tracking chip."

Switch struck one of the birds from below, causing it to reel backwards and the pokemon on board to lose their balance. Something small and unidentifiable fell from the Exploud's paws and plummeted down towards the ground.

Pixel's heart pulsed in her throat. If Switch knocked those pokemon out of the air, they wouldn't survive that fall. He'd end up with a price on his head.

"He needs to stop," she said. "How do we stop him?"  
"You're joking, right?" Vector shook his head in bewilderment. "If he stops, they'll reach this island and we're _all_ going to have to fight."

"But the only way that fight out there is going to stop is if one side loses!"

Switch struck one of the pidgeot again, causing it to drop down dangerously. It regained itself, flying backwards until it was parallel with its comrade. All three birds paused to face each other, flapping their wings to stay airborne.

"I think they're aware of that," said Vector.

"That's Switch for you," said N00b. "He's willing to defend his friends even if it means risking his life."

The engine revved and the car lurched forwards, turning through the grass so it was facing the battle.

"What are you doing?" Pixel gasped.

"Helping him."

"But those pokemon work for the government! If they fall -"

"Their intention is to retrieve and kill Vector in hope of a cure," said N00b. "He now knows what they're up to, yet they're still trying to retrieve him. Who's to say their intentions have changed? They're _not_ taking him back."

She met N00b's eyes and nodded. "Then take me with you."

"Pixel!" Leaf burst through the grass and skidded to a halt beside her. "What's going on? What's all that?" He pointed a stubby claw at the three birds, now spiralling each other and lashing out with their talons.

"They're here for Vector," she explained. "Switch is trying to stop them."

"And what about you?" He watched as she climbed into the car.

"I want to stop that battle and tell them if they want one it's got to be on solid ground."

"And that ground would be..."

"Most likely here since it's closer."  
Leaf flinched and avoided her gaze. "I knew letting you rescue that meowstic would bring nothing but trouble."

Vector snorted and crossed his arms. "Fine. I'll leave. Then I'll draw them away from your island -"  
"You're not going anywhere!" snapped Pixel. "Not with that tracking chip!" She rounded on Leaf. "Why don't you figure out how to take the tracker out of him? At least then the hospital won't be able to find him."

Leaf looked over at Vector and the meowstic took a step back from him, raising his paws to his chest.

The car's engine roared as it took off towards the battle. The two pidgeot screeched as they beat Switch back with their wings, raking their talons across his back. One of them had taken a nasty scratch, the creamy feathers of its belly dyed red with blood. A loud voice boomed over their cries, demanding them to take the fight to the ground, while a female screamed and cried out for help. As they drew closer, Pixel could make out the wartortle clutching the neck of her pidgeot so tight his face was turning blue beneath his pale feathers.

"Stop this!" Pixel had to scream to be heard over the chaos. "If you want to fight, do it on solid ground! Someone's going to die at this rate!"  
The car roared past the battle and she caught Switch's eye. The glimmer of anger left his features, but the pause was too long as the exploud lashed out and clubbed him across the face. He grunted as his head snapped to the side, turning below his body as he flipped upside down and began to plummet towards the ground. His long, black scarf billowed behind him like a streamer.

N00b cried out something Pixel couldn't make out. The little car took a nosedive, curving back towards the falling talonflame. It looked like they weren't going to make it, but the car's weight gave them an advantage as they overtook him. N00b levelled out the car and Switch's body landed uncomfortably in the seat behind Pixel. She looked over her shoulder at him, searching for a sign of life. His chest rose and fell steadily and she found herself letting out a long breath she'd not been aware she was holding.

"It looks like he's okay," she told N00b.

"That's a relief." N00b glanced back at her and nodded up to the drifting continent. She followed his gaze and her blood turned to ice in her veins. The two pidgeot had reached the perimeter, nimbly dodging streaks of electricity as they flashed through the bright, summer sky. "Unfortunately I can't say the same for your base."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	12. Sudden Dangers

**A/N - I didn't do any writing at all over the weekend. My word count took a bit of a hit.**

11 – Sudden Dangers

The exploud ducked as the N00b Mobile careened over his head towards the grass. He watched in bewilderment as the car zigzagged through the meadow and came to a stop several feet away.

Pixel vaulted over the door and rushed to join Leaf's side. He stood between the emolga twins, keeping Vector behind him as they faced the two pokemon and their bristling pidgeot comrades. The meowstic didn't look remotely scared. Instead he looked infuriated. She wondered if the two pokemon facing them had been in charge of his care during his time at the hospital. He'd probably trusted them, and here they were, invading the drifting continent with every intention to take him back and perform their ridiculous experiment.

The exploud and wartortle eyed her with vehemence before turning back to Leaf.

"Move it!" the exploud's voice caused them to flinch, but they refused to back down. "That meowstic is government property. If you don't hand him over, you'll find yourselves behind bars!"

"Government property?" Leaf gave a bitter laugh. "So murder is legal now?"

"Murder?!"

"Sample!" The wartortle rounded on him with her paws over her fluffy ears. "Your voice!"

He muttered something and brushed her aside with his large paw. "Murder?" he repeated, much quieter. "What makes you think we're murderin' pokemon now?"  
Leaf bit his lip and Pixel looked from him to the exploud and back. There was no logical explanation why any of them should know such details. If they admitted to hacking the hospital's database, she could almost guarantee they'd all end up behind bars. If they went so far as to make up some story about being told the information from a hospital worker, they'd need to give the pokemon's description. Not only would they be called out as liars if no such pokemon existed behind the hospital's walls, if they did then the hospital could deny such claims and an innocent pokemon might lose their job.

And they'd still end up in prison for breaking and entering, and also slander.

"Come on!" Sample crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the floor. "We aint got all day. You hand him over, we'll let this one slide, eh?"

Let it slide? Pixel blinked a few times as the words sank in. Of course. Her lips turned up into a smile and she laughed.

"So you _do_ have something to hide." she said.

"What are you talkin' about?" the wartortle scoffed. "Somethin' to hide? What trash!"

"It's simple. If the police got involved, they'd want to interview Vector to get his side of the story. If he told them what you're really up to, no matter how much you deny it they'll want to see your database."

"That makes your invasion of this island also illegal," said Leaf. "You're also breaking and entering."

Nybble and Byte crossed their arms and nodded.

Sample narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly, keeping his voice low. "What makes you think there's something on our database about murder?"

Pixel clenched her teeth together and glanced over at Leaf and Vector. Both of them shifted uneasily as they searched their minds for a response.

"Is there a hacker amongst you?" the exploud boomed.

"I wouldn't call myself a hacker." N00b skipped forwards with all the nonchalance he could muster, stopping just beside Leaf. "I'm more of a designer. I build machines and components, and certainly know my way around a computer – physically and digitally."

"So you hacked into our database." Sample spoke bluntly and crossed his arms.

"I wouldn't say 'hacked' more 'obtained valuable information'. If you hadn't said on there you were going to risk Vector's life without his consent, then there wouldn't have been any reason to rescue him. You wouldn't have even known I'd been there. Right now, your insistence on retrieving him is suspicious in and of itself. I mean, he's standing right back there. He seems healthy enough, albeit a bit discoloured. He's not infected. No reason to barge onto this innocent little island and start a fight, is it?" N00b inclined his head on one side and waited for a response.

The exploud and wartortle exchanged nervous glances while all Pixel's team could do was watch with open mouths. The two pidgeot shifted uneasily and one of them clicked his beak in frustration.

"You never said anything about murder!" he said. "You told us this was a rescue mission!"  
"They're lying!" said the wartortle.

"I highly doubt it," said the other pidgeot. "This whole endeavour smells funny. I want no part of it. You can keep your money."

He spread his wings and rose into the sky, leaving the panicked wartortle with no choice but to run to the edge of the islands and wave her fists in anger. She rounded on the remaining pidgeot and frowned.

"At least _you_ had the decency to stay."

He chuckled, and she took a step back.

"I'm not on your side, little wartortle," he said. "I'm just sticking around in case they need an extra hand."

The exploud and wartortle gaped at the group of pokemon, calculating the odds that were now drastically not in their favour.

Sample stuttered and backed away slowly. Then he looked around frantically, rubbing his paws together.

"How do I get off this wretched island?!"  
"I think we can help with that." Leaf span and sprayed spores over the two pokemon. They crumpled to the floor and the sound of panic was replaced with soft snores.

N00b stared at the sleeping pokemon for a moment then looked round at the ivysaur. "Why didn't you do that sooner?"

"I wasn't exactly going to risk it when the pidgeot were against us, was I? I've learned that lesson once already." Leaf examined the two pokemon and turned to their unexpected ally. "Can I please trouble you to take them off this island?"

The pidgeot gave a shy shrug. "Sure. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble we've caused. I had no idea what they were up to."

"Fed you lies, huh?" Leaf scoffed.

"Please apologise to your talonflame friend for me?" The pidgeot looked over at the unconscious form still sprawled over the back seat of the little car. "I hope he'll be okay."

"He'll be fine!" said N00b. "But I need to ask you a favour. Please, please, _please_ keep my poking around government files hush hush."

The pidgeot smiled broadly. "Hey. It's no business of mine."

He hopped over to the two sleeping pokemon and turned to face them again. He saluted them with his wing and rose into the air, grabbing a pokemon in each talon. They watched as he carried the cumbersome duo away almost effortlessly.

"Well that could have gone a lot worse." N00b skipped over to his car to check on Switch.

"You're right," said Leaf. "But what I want to know is what are we going to do now?"

Vector cleared his throat and placed a paw on Leaf's shoulder. "What we do is I leave."

Pixel looked round at him sharply with an exclamation of confusion.

"I was going to leave anyway," he said. "But if I stick with any of you then you're at risk. Those two aren't exactly out of action. They'll be looking for me, whether I have this tracking chip or not."

"Yes, but I'm going to remove it," said Leaf.

"And once it's gone, they won't find you in our base," said N00b.

"Exactly. You'll be safe," said Leaf.

"But they'll find _you_ ," said Vector. "Your island isn't exactly invisible, and you know what they're up to now. Not only that, but you ruined their plans. They've already shown themselves to lack morals. Not just with what they planned to do with me, but look what they did to your friend!"

They followed his paw to Switch. The talonflame was now coming round, blinking his eyes open and letting out a long groan. He pushed himself up slowly and flopped spread-eagled onto the floor.

"Did anyone get the number of that truck?" he groaned.

"Are you all right?" Pixel dropped to his side.

"I have a cracking headache," he mumbled as he pushed himself to his feet.

"We'll get you some berries," Leaf told him. "You'll be back to yourself in no time, then you can get yourself to safety. In the meantime, I think we need to take what Vector said on board. This island isn't safe for us any more, not while they're looking for him. They'll want to erase all evidence of their plans, and they now know that we know what they're up to."

"So what are we going to do?" Pixel asked.

"We're not leaving this place are we?" Nybble covered her mouth with both paws, her eyes now impossibly wide. "This is home. And it's safe here."

"Yeh," said Byte. "There's less of a virus risk up here. No one lands on this island." He looked over at Switch and N00b and cleared his throat. "Well, not usually."

"I think we need to consider evacuating," said Leaf. "We'll have a meeting about it later. Right now we need to get our new friends back on their feet and on their way safely back home."

New friends? Pixel gave him a small smile. "I think we could all use a nice cold glass of berry juice too. Why don't we all go back to my house for a bit? We can plan our next move from there."

"Good point." He looked out at the passing clouds, bobbing slowly along in the sky. "It's going to be hard to leave this place. I guess we all have to move on at some point."

...

Sample groaned as light penetrated his vision. The world looked a lot smaller right now, and seemed to be passing by below him almost as if he were flying.

Wait... he was flying!

He craned his neck to look up at the cream belly of a pidgeot.

"Oi!" he boomed.

The pidgeot swerved and Sample felt his claws lessen around his leg. A scream escaped his throat as the ground lurched up towards him. It stopped just as abruptly as the pidgeot secured his hold, and his scream ebbed away to be replaced by one from Mono, hanging helplessly from the pidgeot's right claws.

"All right, enough's enough!" Sample reached up and tried to prise open the pidgeot's talons. "You're gonna put us on the ground, you hear me?"  
"I don't think so," said the pidgeot. "I'm taking you two straight to the police station. Once they hear what you guys are up to, your whole department will be closed down."

Sample's skin prickled and he looked over at Mono. Her small face twisted with worry as the same thoughts flowed through her mind. Closed down... their project in finding a cure for the virus would come to an end. Lives depended on their research.

"Well, Mono," he said. "I hope you can bounce."

He opened his mouth wide and roared. Mono clasped her paws over ears and screamed. The pidgeot's wings faltered as he struggled to stay airborne and his face creased with pain. Sample felt himself slipping from his grip, but the large bird held on. The ground rose up steadily towards them, the supple desert sand rising in dunes, the warm brown broken up only by prickly cactuses and the occasional palm tree.

The wind flew out of Sample's body as his back struck the soft sand. Mono landed beside him, followed by the pidgeot. The bird pokemon rounded on his two captives and snapped his beak in anger.

"What do you think you're doing?! You could have got us all killed!"

Sample pushed himself to his feet, rising up to his full height so he could look the bird in the eye.

"You're taking us nowhere," he said slowly. "You can go back quietly to your own job, your own home and family and let us get on with our work. You got that?"  
The pidgeot shook his head and laughed. "Oh no. I don't think so. I can't just turn a blind eye to this! Whether or not I take you with me is irrelevant. They'll track you down and find you, mark my words." He spread his wings to rise back into the air.

"We can't let him do that," said Mono.

"No," said Sample. "We can not."

He opened his large mouth again and blasted noise out from every pipe on his body with such force the palm trees swayed, dropping their fruit onto the sand. The pidgeot keeled backwards, his wings peppered with a coat of ice. The feathers cracked and struck the ground like shards of glass as the ice spread across his body, only to be cracked by Sample's sound waves. The pidgeot fell onto his back, his beak open in an unvoiced scream that had died before it even left his throat.

Sample closed his mouth with a smack and stared at the motionless pidgeot. His heart was thumping in his chest with such ferocity he thought it was going to break free. Mono stood beside him as equally surprised, wiping frost from her lips.

"What..." He swallowed and tried again. "What just happened?" He rounded on the wartortle and waved a paw at the maimed pidgeot. "Did you ice beam him?!"  
"Hey, don't try to pin this on me!" said Mono. "You're the big buffoon who decided to boomburst the poor bird!"  
"Well, what are we gonna do now?!" Sample turned back to the pidgeot and crouched down beside him, quickly checking for a pulse. "Yup. He's dead all right. Fantastic!" He stood up and threw his arms in the air, turning his back on the fallen pokemon. "Now we _are_ murderers!"

Mono scratched her nose in thought. "What are we gonna tell the agency?"

Sample didn't have an answer. Instead, he crouched down and began digging up the sand in huge piles.

"Makin' him a grave?" she asked.

"Yeh, and it'd go a lot faster if you got down here and rapid span some of this sand away."

"No way! I ain't cleanin' up your mess."  
"I think you'll find we're both responsible for this."

"But not tellin' no one? This pidgeot has a family!"

Sample stood up and wiped a sandy paw across his wet brow. "Do you want to go to prison? 'Cos you're pretty old."

Mono flashed her canines and balled her paws into fists. "What?"

He shrugged and returned to his digging, throwing up sand at her feet. "Just sayin'. You wouldn't see daylight ever again."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	13. Reprogramming

**A/N - I think I've fallen way behind on my word count now! I don't want to fall behind with updates though. I'll try to keep them coming on Mondays and Fridays!**

12 - Reprogramming

Vector winced as Nybble pulled the stitching tight and snipped the thread.

"There you go! All done." She popped the needle on the little table and wiped her paws on a hot towel.

He rubbed his upper arm and admired the emolga's handiwork. The only sign anything had been done was the slight tint of red around the incision area which would wash off the next time he bathed.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"A little sore, but that's to be expected," he said. "Thank you."

The little emolga flushed and rubbed the back of her head. "Heh. It's nothing, really."  
He looked over at Leaf, Pixel and N00b sat at the foot of the sofa, deeply engrossed in their computer work. "How are you getting on with that?"

"It looks completely authentic." Leaf looked down at the tiny microchip. "Anyone who scanned this would think nothing of it. To them you would be a nineteen year old patient at Central Meta Hospital."

"This would fool anyone who didn't know you." N00b turned the microchip around in his paws. "They went the whole hog. It's not a counterfeit device. It's a standard RFID microchip with a full duplex."

"What I want to know is why they made it all up," said Pixel. "Surely they'd have got more right than this if they did their research."

"They made up all the information I didn't give them, or that they didn't ask for," said Vector. "I had no idea they were going to chip me."

"They didn't ask for your age?" asked Leaf.

"Yes. I told them I'm twenty three. They clearly didn't listen."

"You'd think they'd at least make notes," said Switch. "It's pretty sloppy work on their part."

Pixel pursed her lips together. It really was sloppy work. You'd think professional scientists would do a better job at covering up a fraud microchip. She eyed Vector curiously. It was hard to believe he was five years older than her. Maybe they hadn't listened at all, they'd just looked at him and hazarded a guess. When he noticed her staring, she cleared her throat and looked back down at the chip in N00b's paw. "So you're not an analyst?"

Vector shook his head. "No." He paused and rubbed his paws together. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you now, since my team disintegrated. I was an undercover scientist and soldier working for a project called Bridge."

"From what you said, you were searching for a way to help humans get back home?"

Vector nodded stiffly.

"I'm pretty excited about you joining our little project," said N00b. "We might actually get somewhere with an extra scientist on board."

"Well, now this is out of you," said Leaf, "they won't be able to track you. Wherever you go, you're safe unless you hang around Meta City. As for us, we need to get off this island fast before they return."

"First they'll need to find another way to get up here," said Pixel. "And I'm guessing that pidgeot turned in those two pokemon, so we may have a little while yet."

"That's a little while longer we can be on the ground looking for a place to retreat to."

N00b and Switch exchanged a silent message.

"Why don't you come with us?" N00b asked. "They won't find you in our base, I can assure you."

"That's a kind offer," said Leaf. "But I'm afraid we have our own mission to take care of."

Switch rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "Yeh. I don't think Connor would let you go about freely doing your own thing. If you enter our base, I'm pretty sure he'd rope you into working for him."

"So where do we go?" Pixel asked.

Leaf shrugged. "We'll head towards Backbone Mountain. So long as we put as much space between us and Meta City, that's all that counts."

"Leaf?" Byte poked his head around the door, panting heavily. He paused with one paw on the door frame as he tried to catch his breath.

"What is it?" Leaf asked.

"We can't back up all the data," he explained. "We've not got enough portable memory."

Leaf gave a flustered sigh and removed his headphones to scratch his head. "Fine. Back up all you can and lock down all the computers."  
"Wait." N00b frowned. "Lock down all of them? Won't the drifting continent stop... well... drifting?" He motioned with his paws to imitate something falling out of the sky.

"No, no." Leaf chuckled. "The island operates on a different system. It'll still follow its circuit."

"Circuit..." N00b licked his lips in thought, his eyes going distant. "It follows a circuit..."

"Yes, it circles around the desert, the little villages leading up towards the city, the outskirts and Meta City then loops back."

"What if you reprogrammed it?" N00b asked. "Then it could go anywhere."

"Reprogrammed it?" Pixel and Leaf gasped.

"You can't do that!" said Leaf. "It wouldn't be safe!"

"It would throw System out of balance," said Vector. "There are three drifting continents all with their own circuits – Cyan, Magenta and Luma. They're designed to stick to one specific area. As such, they never meet."

"I know all that," said N00b. "They're some ancient structure from hundreds of years ago. Artificial, for the most part. They're not going to throw off the natural balance. Think of it as some gigantic flying ship! They all have controls, right? All I need to do is tweak them so you can control it perfectly!"

"The only problem is, if they saw our island moving then they'd be able to follow us," said Leaf.

"Yeh, but it'd be harder for them. Besides, you'd be able to drop down wherever you wanted. You wouldn't have to risk being caught by landing in an area they'd expect."

Pixel nodded her approval. "You have to admit, it's a brilliant idea. We could go anywhere in System. It would even make branching out our investigation into larger areas much easier."

"Okay fine!" Leaf waved a paw in dismissal. "Toy with it. Just don't crash it."

N00b chuckled.

"Don't worry, Leaf," said Switch. "N00b's not exactly a rookie in computer and machine technology."

"And I can always assist him." Vector rose to his feet. "After all you guys have done for me, it's the least I can do."

"We should have it done before we even reach Spool!" N00b skipped towards the door with Vector in tow.

Pixel looked up at Leaf and opened her mouth to speak, but the ivysaur's mind was elsewhere. He wound the headphone cord around his paws as he stared absently out of the open door.

He let out a long breath and closed his eyes. "Have we really exhausted our search in this area?"

...

The corridor filled with loud, blaring screams as the unown A flew down it, crying out like a siren. The sound grew with intensity as the small pokemon shot into the lab like a dart, stopping over the head of a dainty, pink feline who wasn't remotely phased by the unown's outburst. She lay sprawled over her desk with her chin on her paws and bottom in her chair, staring at an abstract map of jagged lines on an old, boxy computer screen. Colourful lights raced up and down the walls on either side of her, along with blobs of neon oil bouncing up and down inside thick, glass containers.

"Retro! There's trouble! Trouble!"

"What is it, Alarm?" she asked.

"I heard a voice!" the unown answered. "It came from above us! What was it? There's nothing on the security cameras!" She screamed again and bolted back and forth. "Oh no! There's an invasion! It's spreading down here too!"

Retro rolled her eyes to look up at her. "Calm down. We're safe here."

"Yes! Be quiet!"

She flinched at the voice, pushing herself upright to look over her shoulder. The unown exclamation hovered over another boxy computer beside an unown X, shuddering with frustration.

"Your voice is remarkably loud!" he said. "It's enough to give one a migraine!"

"You're one to talk," chuckled Retro. "You should watch your volume too, Amp."

"X-actly," said X. "It's x-tremely hard to work with your voices at such x-traordinary volumes."

Retro laughed. "I'm sure it's nothing, Alarm. It never is."

"Yes! What was it last time?!" asked Amp.

"A butterfree landing on a flower, I believe," said X. "X-tremely ridiculous assumption on her part, if you ask me."

"No! It isn't nothing!" Alarm wailed. "It's the lines! They're spreading! They're all over the jungle!"

"Huh." Retro raised an eyebrow and looked back at the computer screen. "More lines..."

"It's like a maze!" said Alarm.

"Is it a-maze-ing?" asked X.

Amp flicked him away with a burst of rainbow energy. The little unown hit the wall and slid down it with a groan.

"Sorry, old boy, but I don't think this is time for your puns!" Amp joined Retro's side and peered over her shoulder. "Have they not appeared on your map?!"

She clicked the mouse to zoom out from the map. Sure enough, there were more lines. The entire northern part of the jungle was engulfed in them, almost like a giant spinarak web. X bobbed next to her head and let out a small gasp.

"You're right, Alarm," said Retro. "They are spreading."

"What if they come down here?!" Alarm asked.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about. They seem to be staying on the surface."

"If you would like, we could go on an x-cursion to investigate?" X suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You know what happened the last time."

Retro looked over at the corner of the lab. Propped up against the wall were two more unown. A G, who's body had been turned into solid brown rock, and K who had started to turn into water. Both of them had entered a state of hibernation, which interestingly had halted the virus's progression. This had prompted Retro's research into the virus. She'd been there. She'd come into contact with it, yet for some reason, it didn't effect her.

"Retro? Are you listening?"

"Huh?" She looked round at X's narrowed eye. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Yes. I said we can be x-tra careful this time. If you keep us in a bubble, the virus can't get to us."

"No." She leant her chin back on her paws as she stared at the ominous web. "We already know where those black lines have come from, and what they're doing. What we need to focus on is how to erase them."

...

The small amount of light in the engine room came from N00b's tiny torch clasped between his teeth. Pixel watched with fascination as he tweaked with wires and other components that were completely alien to her.

"Just a little more and there!" He slammed the cover to the motherboard shut. "All done and dusted! I just need to tweak the computer system and then you'll be able to steer this island wherever you like!"  
She wiped an oily paw across her nose. "Fantastic! And you're sure this will work?"

"As sure as my tail is attached to my spine," he said.

"Let's get back up then," said Vector. "This room stinks of oil."

Their paws clinked on the metal grating as they walked back to the old, rusting ladder. Vector stood aside to let Pixel climb up first, then steadied N00b onto the rungs. Light leaked down from the floor above, almost dazzling after spending such a long time in that dark chamber.

The door to the control room hissed open and Leaf looked back at them.

"How did you get on?" he asked.

"We're almost there," said N00b. "I just need to borrow your computer for a second."

Leaf hesitated as he thought this over. For a moment, it looked like he was going to retaliate, but he scooted his chair aside and gestured for the lillipup to take a seat.

N00b hopped into one of the desk chairs and its wheels rattled on the floor as he dragged it towards the computer desk. He flexed his paws and began tapping at the holographic keyboard. Images and text flickered across the screen with such speed Pixel couldn't keep track of them. Soon, the entire screen went black with green text which scrolled into a migraine inducing blur. Whatever was going on, N00b knew what he was doing. His paws scurried across the keyboard as fast as the text moved over the screen. Finally, it stopped and he let out a cry of 'aha!' It was only for a moment, however, as everything began to blur together once more.

"Have you figured it out?" Leaf asked.

N00b's eyes never left the screen. "Yep. Pretty ancient system. Its firewalls are like paper."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"If you don't want anyone hacking into your database, then yes."

The computer settled back onto the page Leaf had been viewing, and N00b kicked himself back from the desk. Pixel wobbled as the island came to an abrupt halt, stumbling into Vector. He steadied her with a paw and she looked around the room at the confused faces of her friends.

"Wahay! It worked!" N00b cheered. "It's all sorted! You can test it when you're ready!"

"Won't it fall?" Pixel squeaked.

"Nonsense!" N00b leant forward and pushed the control stick forwards, normally used to speed up or slow down the continent. The island flared into life and Pixel kept her eyes on the green flashing dot as it moved forwards once more.  
Leaf let out a long sigh of relief.

"Told you it would work," said N00b. "You can steer it wherever you like now!"

"That's good," said Leaf. "Because we're about to fly over the outskirts."

"Then this is where we leave you."

Pixel looked down at N00b. "Really?"

"Of course! We've got a job to do." He looked back at Leaf. "Thanks for the lift, and for the hospitality. I know we were a bit of a burden."  
"Don't be ridiculous." Leaf turned back to his map. "If you hadn't assisted Pixel, then those lunatics would have been much more trouble. You helped us out a lot. How do I control this thing?"

N00b rose up so he could see the control deck. "That stick you normally use to speed up and slow down? Well now when you twist it, you'll be steering this island left, right, back and forth! You push it forwards now, then it'll keep going forwards. You go left, it'll go left. You get me?"

Leaf looked around at him and smiled. "Let's give it a try then, shall we?"

He grabbed the stick in one paw and turned it left, keeping one eye on the map. The blinking dot deviated from its path, turning towards the left of the outskirts. Pixel teetered as she lost her balance, but quickly regained it as he levelled the island back out.

"Fantastic!" he gasped. "It's never done that before!"

N00b laughed and struck him on the shoulder. "I told you it was possible. Well, maybe we'll see you again." He hopped away from the desk and made his way to the door, pausing to look up at Vector. "Are you coming?"

Vector gave one last look around the control room and followed after him.

Leaf's voice followed them out of the room. "You take care now."

Pixel followed them up the stairs, the flickering light casting erratic shadows across the walls. She couldn't deny she felt a little sad. All she could hope was that they'd be able to stay in touch some how.

Switch stood at the edge of the island, watching the world below. N00b skipped over to him and gave him a fond smile.

"Shall we be off?" he asked. "It looks like Byte's charged my car up nicely. It should get me back to Spool from this distance."

Switch gave him a sideways glance but didn't say anything.

"I'll take Vector, and we'll try to keep up with you." N00b turned to skip away.

"Thanks again for your help," said Pixel.

"It's nothing, really!" N00b called over his shoulder.

Switch crossed his hands behind his back and looked up. "I'm not going back."

"Eh?!" N00b's tail went rigid and he froze mid step to look back at him.

"Something's wrong with this world," Switch went on. "Those black cracks, the virus... I think our main focus should be on that. Sure, humans want to get home. But if I go back with you now, Connor will make it incredibly difficult to get to the bottom of all this. I personally wouldn't feel right if we found a way home and I went back, leaving this world in such a state." He looked back at them. "I've been here twelve years. I've made this place a home. Why let it just... fall apart?"

Pixel shook her head in disbelief. "Switch..."

Vector looked down at his paws then back out at the marred skyline. "You have a good point. I guess I'll investigate as well. I want to find a cure anyway."

"So..." N00b blinked a few times as he took this in. "We're not going back?"

"You can go back," said Switch. "Connor needs your help. You can stay in touch with us from there."  
"Argh!" N00b sat down heavily and his ears drooped. "My loyalty is torn between you and Connor! I can't abandon one of you. It's easier when we're all working together! What am I gonna tell him when I show up without you?"

"Tell him the truth," said Switch. "Tell him I'm trying to fix this world and find a cure for the virus."

"He doesn't care about this world. He won't understand."

"You're his friend aren't you?" Switch gave him a warm smile. "I don't think he'd want you to catch it. Or Diode."

A small smile creased N00b's lips. "Okay. I'll go back. But be sure to keep me updated, all right?"

"Sure thing."

N00b rounded on Pixel and Vector. "You too, okay! Make sure he doesn't go off the grid, or forget to message me!"

Pixel laughed. "Don't worry. I won't let him forget about you."

They all moved over to N00b's car, and once he was buckled in place, he pulled his goggles over his eyes and leant back in his seat.

"I'll see you when I see you then?"

Switch bent over and ruffled his head. "I'll pop in to visit you! And once this is sorted, if you've not already found a way to get Connor and the rest of us home I'll be back to lend a hand!"

Pixel leant into the car and threw her arms around the lillipup's neck. "Thank you, N00b! You've helped us out a lot!"

"Hey, hey." He pushed her back with a paw. "Don't do that. You're making me weepy! I won't be able to see where I'm going!" He nudged his goggles up to wipe tears away from his eyes. "Look after Switch for me."  
The little car's engine roared and two wings shot out of either side. He turned away from them, giving them a wave before it rocketed across the grass and off the edge of Cyan Island. It wasn't long before it was a mere dot in the sky.

"He's a sweet kid, isn't he?" Pixel asked.

Switch made a grunt of agreement. "Probably the best friend I've ever had."

"So where are you going now?" she asked.

He sighed and folded his hands behind his head. "I guess I need to be on my way. I can't hang around here. I feel like I've overstayed my welcome already."

"That goes for me as well," said Vector. "I'm not safe up here. It won't be long before they come looking for me."

"Well, we need to drop you off outside the city," said Pixel. "If you disembark here, you'll be landing right in the thick of it."

"I could carry him." Switch looked down at the meowstic. "Provided you're okay with heights."

Vector opened his mouth to reply but Pixel cut him off.

"I want to help you," she said.

"What? You're looking for your friends!" said Switch.

"I know I am, but what if they've got the virus and there's no way of finding out? You saw the state that 'charmander' was in. It wouldn't be impossible that they've all ended up in a similar situation. They might not even have ended up in hospitals yet."

"So you're saying your priority is to find a cure?" Vector crossed his arms. "I'm not objecting."

"What about Leaf?" asked Switch.

"What about me?" Leaf stopped behind them.

Pixel let out a small gasp. She hadn't even heard him coming towards them.

"Pixel has a point," he said. "I want to keep looking for our friends, but if they have met that awful fate then they're going to need all the help they can get. I'm happy to break the team up to split the job in two."

"Are you sure?" Pixel asked.

He shrugged. "What other answer do we have? As for you two, you might not be members of this team, but you've shown your loyalty. Especially Switch. Feel free to use this base if you need it."

"Wow!" Switch laughed. "I didn't see that one coming."  
"Now this island is maneuverable it'll be easier for you to get around." Leaf turned away from them. "I can't imagine you can carry both of them?"

Switch watched him leave then let out a sigh and fell onto his back in the grass. "Well, I suppose I should enjoy the ride."

Pixel sat down beside him and stared out at the horizon, marred by those ominous black cracks. Vector shifted uneasily beside her then moved over to the edge of the island, staring out at the passing scenery. Like her, she doubted he was enjoying the view.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	14. No Entry

**A/N - Sorry I didn't update on Monday. I was super tired. We're rather busy at the moment, and I can't guarantee update days right now. Hence this one being a day early. Also, since we're moving, internet is somewhat unpredictable next week. Once things settle down I should be back on schedule!**

 **To all those who have read, reviewed and faved, thank you! It means a lot and keeps me motivated knowing that people are reading and enjoying, whether you read loudly or quietly! Even every view means a lot to me! =D**

13 – No Entry

Hertz barged around his office, kicking out at the metal waste paper bin which clattered deafeningly off the walls and desk. Books flew from the desk as he whisked them aside with his paws towards the door, causing Mono to duck and Sample to leap aside as it whistled past his ear almost clipping it off the side of his head.

The gallade stopped amidst the debris and clasped his paws behind him, keeping his back on the other two pokemon.

"So you lost him," he said calmly.

"Yeah," said Sample.

"And also killed a pidgeot flier."

Sample nodded and wrung his paws together, keeping one eye on the door. "It was an accident. We buried him in the desert. Mono even said a few words -"

"A few, a dozen. I don't care if she wrote a novel!" They leapt back as he rounded on them, fixing them with a crimson glare. "You two were foolish! We already have enough conflict with the public's side of the government. The hospital and the police don't get on, but we're meant to obey the same laws!"

"So what do you want us to do?" Sample asked. "Turn ourselves in?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You do nothing." He turned his back on them again. "Where is the meowstic? Still on the island?"

"We don't know. We lost him."

"Yeh," said Mono. "Think he lost his trackin' chip."

Hertz looked back at them over his shoulder. Lost... was this now a lost cause? No. He might still be on that island.

But if not, then it was indeed a lost cause. Finding one little meowstic would be impossible in this vast region. He could be anywhere.

The only option they had was to somehow check that island.

"It's the continent that hovers across Meta City, right?" he asked.

Sample and Mono exchanged surprised glances.

"Yeh," said Sample. "Do you want us to go back up there?"

Hertz snorted. "We can hardly hire another flier can we? News of one going missing will travel fast! It won't be long until they trace him back to you two. No. We're best staying away from the fliers for now." He moved past them towards the window. "It passes by here once a day, although the time varies. If we can get a drone up there, then we can transmit the footage back to..."

He drifted off as something in the sky caused his stomach to knot. His paws fumbled at the window clasp, desperate to get it open.

"Is something wrong?" Sample and Mono joined his side, following his gaze to the sky.

"Yes." He squinted at the sky as he leant through the window, the fresh breeze stirring his fur. "It's not normally that far away. Is it?"

He couldn't mask the doubt he felt. Every day that island passed by his office window, drifting high over the office blocks and superstores. Now it was miles away, drifting well outside the outskirts. Moving away from the city with no indication it was going to turn and follow its normal circuit towards the centre of Meta City.

"I don't understand," said Mono. "What's it doin' all the way over there?!"

"I've no idea." Hertz dragged himself back into his office and closed the window. "But I'll be surprised if he's not on that island now, using it as some form of getaway."

Sample's brow furrowed in confusion. "So what do we do?"

"Simple. We follow it." Hertz scurried over to his desk and switched off his computer then scooped up his keys. He paused by the office door to look back at them, still standing there staring at the tiny speck of a continent bobbing in the sky. "Grab your bags. It's going to be a long trip."

...

The sun had decided it just didn't want to come out that morning. Pixel left her home feeling rather groggy and she stretched in the cool morning air as a refreshing breeze whipped through her fur and made the grass tickle her legs.

"Good morning."

She opened her eyes and spotted Switch leaning back against a tree trunk with his arms crossed behind his head. He winked.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

She shrugged. "As best I could. It's a little strange knowing the island you've called home since you were born has gone rogue."

He shook his head and laughed. "You're giving an island a personality. Don't worry yourself. N00b assured you it would be fine. All that's happened is you can control it now."

"I know. But I have no idea where we are." She cautiously moved over to the edge and peered down. All she could see was the canopy of a large forest and a few little villages surrounded by fields. Nothing about it was familiar. She looked back at Switch. "Do you know where we are?"

He pushed himself up and joined her side, following her gaze to the forest canopy below.

"Looks like Spring Forest," he said. "If that's the case, that residential area will be Gear Village."

"You've been over here?"

"Sure. A few times. I've flown over most of System. I don't think we're that far outside of Meta City. Maybe ten miles or so."

"Ten miles is enough for me."

They both looked round at Vector. Neither had noticed him joining them.

"I've spoken to Leaf," he said. "I'll be disembarking soon."

"Really? You think there'll be a cure in the forest?" Pixel asked.

"Who knows." The meowstic crossed his arms and looked out with a sigh. "Look at the state of that."

She followed his gaze towards the mountain. It's usual rocky grey surface mottled with green was criss-crossed with horrific black lines. Almost like someone had painted it and someone else had tried to scribble it out with a pen.

"We might be able to find a cure for the virus," said Switch. "But will we ever find a cure for that? I mean... we don't even know what it is."

"Like the incident at the Fracture, it followed with the virus." Vector turned his back on it and started to walk away. "Whatever cure we find for the virus might destroy that corruption too."

"That's a good point," said Switch.

"Then I had better get ready to disembark." Pixel turned to hurry back home.

"Disembark?"

Vector's voice froze her in her tracks and she looked back at him, meeting his confused and somewhat unimpressed gaze.

"Yes," she said flatly. "We're helping you find a cure, remember?"

"I said I didn't object to you looking for one. I don't recall anything about _joining me_ in my search."

"Of course we're joining you! It'll increase the chance of finding one."

He frowned. "If you want to increase the chance, then go your own way. Cover more ground! You don't need to stick to me like glue!"

Pixel's jaw dropped. She couldn't think of anything to say.  
"Hang on." Switch cut between them and fixed the meowstic in a glare. "The girl's just trying to help you. There's no need to be rude."  
Vector let out a flustered sigh and ran a paw through the black fur between his ears. "I'm sorry. It came out wrong. I'm just saying there's no point staying with me. I've caused you enough trouble already."

"So you're trying to scare us off?" Switch closed his eyes and shrugged. "Well it isn't working. I've dealt with worse attitudes than yours."

"You can't go out alone," said Pixel. "If you find yourself in trouble, you'll need help."  
"No." Vector took in a deep breath as he tried to stop his fur from bristling. "We'll go our separate ways. Okay?"

"Fine." Switch waved him away. "Have it your way."

Pixel found it hard to mask the fact his words had stung her. Vector stood near the edge of the continent, watching the world go by below them. She couldn't fathom why he wanted to do this alone. A mere two days ago he was stuck inside Central Meta Hospital with pokemon that wanted to harm him. What was he even doing there in the first place? If he'd turned himself in suspecting he had the virus, only to be checked and come out clean, then how was he kept inside? With the promise a potential cure might help him?

' _I went to them for help... and they were going to turn me into some kind of experiment? I can't believe it.'_

She was pretty certain that may have been the case.

Now he had no type, lacked his own abilities, and he planned to go out there alone. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

"Leaf?" she spoke into her headset.

There was a pause, then a crackle as the ivysaur's voice came back to her. "What is it?"

"I'm letting you know I'll be leaving the island soon."

"All right. How are you leaving? Taking the ladder?"

Her eye went to Switch. She doubted he'd be taking the ladder. Her unintentional stare dragged his attention from the passing clouds.

"What?" he asked.

"Will you be flying down?"

A nervous smile crossed his features, and he rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "After seeing you drop down on that thing? Definitely."

"Do you think you could carry us both?"

He looked from her to Vector, catching a frown from the meowstic, and nodded. "I think so. I might have to carry one of you in my talons though."

"Let that be me," grunted Vector. "That way you can drop me off easier."

"Switch is going to carry us," she explained to Leaf.

"Very well," he replied. "Stay in touch. And take care, Pixel."

She gave him a quick reply of acknowledgement as Switch's talonflame form appeared before her eyes. He lowered himself for her to hop onto his back then rose into the air, snatching Vector in both his claws. The meowstic gave a small yelp of surprise as he was lifted off the ground.

"Stay still," Switch warned him. "If you wriggle, I might drop you, and as you can see, it's a long way down."

Vector went rigid, keeping both eyes on the approaching canopy. The buildings beyond the trees became clearer, along with small fields for farming, but one thing that remained the same as every other residence in System was the tall antennae blinking its blue and green lights.

"Where am I taking you?" Switch asked.

"You can drop me anywhere," said Vector, somewhat shakily.

"Then I'll drop you just outside the village. I think that would be safest."

Switch levelled out above the forest canopy and glided effortlessly over it. The fresh, clean countryside air reached their nostrils and Pixel let out a satisfied sigh.

"This is such a nice change to the city," she said.

Switch chuckled. "Tell me about it. Sometimes I fly out this way just to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all."

He released Vector onto the ground and dipped his wings, landing lightly in front of him. A few small cottages sat on either side of the street, a couple of which had grass pokemon sat out in their lawns or watering their plants. Pixel looked back at the meowstic and smiled.

"You have our contact information, right?"

He looked away from her. "Yeh. Leaf gave it to me."

"So if you need help -"

"I'll be fine!"

Pixel flinched away from him and diverted her gaze to the village. Something blinking above it caught her eye and she looked up at a sign that made her heart flip into her chest.

Switch let out a sharp laugh and shook his head. "You won't be fine if you stick around here, pal."  
"What was that?" Vector's voice was thick with a warning tone, but his face fell as he looked up to follow their gaze.

The large sign was the same as any other advertising billboard. Digitally controlled, brightly coloured, and as clear as day.

Pasted over the bright blue backdrop were the cheerful words 'Welcome to Gear Village.' Below that was the word 'virus' written in black, surrounded by a giant red 'no entry' sign. If that wasn't enough of a deterrent, below it in clear, red letters was written 'any contaminated pokemon will be terminated'.

Pixel could feel the stares of the grass pokemon in the surrounding cottages that now felt like they were closing in around them. She looked down at Vector, watching as his eyes flitted back and forth over the foreboding sign, desperately avoiding eye contact with the pokemon staring at him from their gardens. If he went into that village looking like a victim, he wasn't going to come out alive.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	15. Short Circuit

**A/N - Woop! We have internet, so I can update regularly again! And now things have calmed down, I can also get back into the flow of writing!**

 **Also, thanks to all reviewers, readers and followers! =D You guys rock!**

14 – Short Circuit

There wasn't much time to think. A loud siren blared through the village, reaching the outskirts and sending the staring pokemon back into their houses. One of them must have sounded the alarm, but whoever it was didn't stick around to watch. Flashing lights drew closer along the narrow street and Pixel could just make out a car beneath it before Switch flicked a wing in front of her face.

He ushered her away from the village, keeping one eye over his shoulder to watch the advancing police car. "We need to get out of here."  
Vector didn't need telling twice. Pixel watched as his two black and white tails fled for the woods.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" She didn't expect an answer from merely voicing her inner thoughts but Switch placed his wing across her shoulders to steer her away and cleared his throat.

"No. I don't."  
She felt her heart sink.

"Not unless he can outrun them," Switch explained, "and their numbers might extend into the woods."

He ushered her onto his back and rose into the air. Pixel looked down at the horde of police cars manned by various grass pokemon. Gear village seemed to be heavily populated by grass types, but amongst them she could make out an ampharos and two marshstomp. A lombre hopped out of the leading police car and shouted something she couldn't make out. It must have been an instruction to attack because it was followed by three streams of water that carried the ampharos's electric attack straight at them.

"Switch!"

Screaming his name was a devastating mistake. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. He looked back over his shoulder at the oncoming attack, his eyes widening with every inch the water moved. It struck him in the tail, throwing him further into the air, and his body turned rigid as electricity coursed through him. Pixel felt her nerves burn as the current engulfed her, but any scream that had tried to come out with it died in her throat. The ground rose up towards them, the impact forcing the air out of her lungs.

She turned her head stiffly to see Switch's body lying twisted in the road. The sheer thought he might be dead crushed her and she heard a small whimper leave her lips as she strained to push herself up.

"You aren't going anywhere." A foot pushed her back down and she looked up to see the lombre standing over her. "Where's that contaminated meowstic you were seen with?"

She blinked to try and bring him into focus, but it seemed impossible. It looked like he was shimmering, or surrounded in a bubble. Her arm felt like lead, making it hard to rub her paw across her eyes. It wasn't a bubble. He was wearing some kind of translucent hazmat suit.

"What have you done to him?" She looked over at the motionless talonflame. If she felt as rough as she did having taken the secondary hit, then what damage must he have taken being drenched in water then zapped with electricity? "Is he dead? _Did you kill him_?!" She rounded back on the lombre. "None of us have that virus!" Her voice cracked and it took every ounce of will power she had to not rub at her sore throat. To not show any weakness.

The lombre merely pointed a claw at the billboard. "You saw it. That's why you ran. Any pokemon with the virus are to be exterminated."

"But none of us have it." The exasperation in her voice seemed to reach him, as he blinked away the confusion in his eyes. "My friend isn't even a talonflame. He's a human! They can't catch it!"

"But there's no evidence they can't carry it, and that meowstic clearly has it." He looked away from her and nodded to a roserade. "You take over here. SWAT squad, follow me into the woods."

A group of quilladin and breloom raced after the lombre, lugging thick metal shields with them. The purpose of those shields would likely be more to prevent the hazmat suits being damaged, since their primary fear would be contracting the virus rather than receiving a fatal attack.

Pixel looked around at the roserade. He stopped beside her and clapped his floral paws together. He wasn't wearing one of those full body suits. It covered his head and that was it. She didn't need to be told what would be coming next. Some kind of status inducing spore – toxic to finish her off, or something to knock her out so they could finish her quietly.

There was no way she was going to let that happen. If there was any way she could save Switch and Vector then she was going to try.

The roserade's paws dropped slightly and his eyes flitted to her right, wide with fear. He'd felt it before she did. A rising heat that grew with intensity. Switch had his eyes open, but he hadn't moved from that uncomfortable position. Flames danced along his feathers, heating up the paving stones and singeing any of the grass pokemon that were unfortunate enough to be stood too close.

This was her opportunity. She span her horn around in an arc, clubbing the roserade on the jaw. He flew away from her with a grunt and landed motionless several feet away. Pokemon rushed at her, and she leapt to her feet, fending them off with her horn and swinging them over her head back towards the village and into gardens fences, the wood splintering under their weight. Somewhere in the chaos, Switch was still lying sprawled out, but she could still see the flickering flames and hear the screams of the pokemon caught in the heat wave. It was even beginning to effect her. Fatigue slowly took over her body until the sheer numbers overwhelmed her and she soon felt herself struggling, receiving blows she was unable to defend. Vines wrapped around her and she covered her muzzle with her paws to avoid breathing in the spores that filled the air.

A looming yellow shape blocked out her line of sight and there, staring down at her, was the ampharos. He said nothing as he looked from her to Switch and back. Static danced along his fur and spread out in all directions. She braced herself for the impact. It struck her in the back, bowling her forwards... _towards_ the ampharos?

Her eyes flew open as a yelp escaped her throat. Vector's black and white form stood before her, his fur lit up yellow and blue with the electricity. The ampharos's face was twisted into a mocking grin as he watched the meowstic flinch back from him. Once the attack had died off, Vector stood motionless. The ampharos's grin widened as he let out a triumphant laugh, but it died in his throat as his attack was deflected back at him in a flash of light, bowling him tail over head into the nearest garden fence.

The meowstic span to face Pixel's attackers. The vines fell from her body as a frightened tangela scurried backwards. With his untidy fur and a bruise showing over his left eye enhancing his scowl, Vector looked a lot more intimidating. A pair of servine whipped up tornados of leaves and grass which rushed at him, growing in size until they engulfed him. Another flash flew from him, sending the servine duo crashing through the trees. The ground rumbled as the marshtomp leapt up and down, knocking everyone off their feet. Pixel landed hard on her bottom, watching helplessly as Vector tumbled over. His paw struck the ground and where it hit, cracks extended from it, rushing towards the marshtomp and knocking them off balance until they fell heavily into a pile of rubble. Gasps and squeals rang through the remaining pokemon, and many of them moved away to a safe distance, unsure what to do without their lead commander barking out orders. The lombre hadn't returned, nor had his SWAT team. The roserade was unconscious, and most of the grass pokemon weren't wearing protective gear. The battle had become a free-for-all and none of those still standing wanted to play a part in it.

"Switch!" Vector bellowed. "Pull yourself together. We need to get out of here!"

The talonflame struggled to push himself up by his wings. Pixel staggered over to him and crammed her shoulder under his chest, lifting him with what little strength she had left.

"He can't fly like this," she gasped out.

"He'll have to." Vector backed towards her, keeping his ice blue eyes on the frightened pokemon. He wiped a paw across his mouth which came away sticky with blood. Something unseen had gone down in those woods. The remaining pokemon were muttering amongst themselves now, some of them backing into the trees while others flexed their claws or vines.

"Do you have the strength to get us away from this village?" she asked Switch.

"I don't have much choice." His voice cracked but she heard a chuckle behind it.

He flapped his wings stiffly, rising uneasily into the air. Both her and Vector were hoisted into his talons and he veered away from the village and the angered pokemon. Some of them fired shots at his retreating tail, but without the marshtomp or lombre, the only attacks that skimmed them were feeble leaves that barely left a scratch and burned away on his still hot feathers.

The short flight seemed a lot longer than it actually was. The electric attack had seriously stiffened his wings and several times Pixel worried he would lose his grip. She latched onto his claws with her paws, watching the ground below, the green marred with the black lines criss-crossing its surface. He struggled to hold on to Vector while the meowstic's body shook with a violent cough, wiping more blood from his mouth. When Switch let them go, it wasn't a gentle descent. Pixel landed in a crumpled heap amongst rocks and stiff plants, and he crashed down behind her, taking on his human form and rolling along the rocks. He landed in a tangle of limbs and scarf and let out a long, pained groan.

"Are you okay?" Pixel berated herself for such a stupid, impulsive question. Of course he wasn't okay. None of them were. And there wasn't a single berry tree in sight, or a shop in the near vicinity that would serve them with Vector amongst them.

She glanced at the meowstic huddled against a rock. His fur looked drastically unkempt and that bruise was growing worse.

She pawed through her bag, hoping to find something that might be of use. A flood of relief came over her when she found two fat lum berries. She gave one to Switch which he took gratefully and handed the other to Vector.

He stared at it, narrowed his eyes.

"Take it," she said. "You need it."

"What for?"

"Whatever's got to your chest. It might be toxic." When he didn't move, she edged closer, trying to get it into his paw. "I saw you coughing. Take it."

He gave a bitter laugh and snatched it from her. "What makes you so certain you don't need it?"

"You two need them more than I do."

Switch pushed himself up and sat back against a slender tree. He wiped the juice on his hands onto his jacket and shook his head slowly.

"You could be a little more grateful," he told Vector.

"So could you." Vector kept his eyes on Switch as he licked juice from his paw.

Pixel let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "He's right. If it weren't for him, we'd be dead."

Vector moved over to her and stuffed the remains of the berry into her paw. She blinked at it in confusion.

"Finish it," he said.

"I told you, you need it more than I do."

"I'm fine."

"But-"

"I feel better now! Can we move?" He turned his back on her and staggered across the grey landscape.

"Vector," said Switch. "I'm thankful you saved our lives and all, but we really need to rest. Including you."

"If you want to sleep out in the open, that's your call. But I'm looking for shelter."

"He's got a point." Switch pushed himself up with a groan.

"I'll contact Leaf," said Pixel. "He might know somewhere we can-" She trailed off, pressing the ear piece closer to her head. Nothing. Not even static.

"Is something wrong?" Switch asked.

"I've lost my radio feed." She felt her pulse quicken as she realised how isolated she now felt. The world felt a lot bigger suddenly and she looked around at the rocky landscape. Rocks. Stiff weeds. Weak trees. More rocks. "I think the electricity shorted my transmitter."

"Don't worry. I think mine still works."

"That's a relief." The small smile that had started to play across her lips faltered and she looked up at him quickly. "I'm just relieved your watch didn't get fried."

He chuckled. "That's Connor's doing. If he made a watch for a flying pokemon that couldn't withstand an electric current, I'd have been in trouble a long time ago. Come on."

He ushered her forwards and they followed after Vector as he scrambled over rocks, moving higher and higher up the steep slope. Despite the lum berry, the climb caused both Pixel and Switch a great deal of discomfort. They had to pause for breath multiple times before they caught up with the meowstic.

He stood motionless, staring out at the landscape. She dragged herself up beside him and followed his gaze.

"Finally!" Switch doubled over with his hands on his knees, panting to catch his breath. "Remind me mountain climbing is not a good idea after a thorough electrocution."

Neither of them responded. Pixel's jaw hung open in shock. The mountain looked like a giant puzzle, sliced apart by black lines radiating a violet light. She reached out and grabbed Switch's hand, muttering out a chain of incoherent words as she struggled to string the right ones together. He opened his eyes and an exclamation of surprise echoed across the mountain.

"Whoa!"

Vector glanced up and him and grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know." He gave a sigh as he looked to his left, down at the villages and woods below. They'd received the same fate. Sliced up by dangerous, ominous, jagged cracks. "It's getting worse."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	16. Deletion

**A/N - Thanks to all reviewers, faves and follows! =D Sorry this is a day late. I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and I really don't like delays! I'm sorry if the formatting isn't great on earlier chapters. I've looked through this piece and every paragraph is separated by a line break, which should make it easier to read. It looks like FFNet does this formatting itself which is pretty useful and saves us the tiresome job of going through our writing and separating it ourselves, but I'll keep an eye open in case things merge together too much.**

15 - Deletion

Connor's muttering filled the small, dark office as he tapped violently at his pocket computer. N00b and Diode watched from the safety of their projects, occasionally exchanging concerned glances. A whoosh cut through the muttering and the helioptile let out a squeak as he ducked just in time to avoid the pocket computer from colliding with his nose. The spanner he'd been holding clattered to the floor with a deafening clang and N00b tugged his ears down over his head and flinched.

"Foolish moron isn't answering my calls!" Connor shrieked. He rammed both paws onto his desk, making the keyboard bounce along it. "Where has he gone?! Why didn't he tell me?!"

N00b peeked out from beneath his paw and cleared his throat. "No offence, but... maybe it was because he didn't think you'd let him go?"

Connor's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Of course I wouldn't! And don't get me started on you! Going out, rescuing a potential virus victim? You could have brought it back here!"

N00b's shoulders hunched and he let out a low whine. "There was zero risk to you. It doesn't affect humans."

"That's not been proven yet." Despite the lower volume, Connor's voice was thick with exasperation. "You're fortunate that pokemon was clean. And the rest you were gallivanting around with."

Diode dropped his spanner again, drawing Connor's frown towards him. The look on the helioptile's face was less than impressed.

"You know," said N00b, "I think you need to learn to trust others more."

"I trust those who I know don't treat me like vermin."

"You know what the problem is? You met members of the small minority that do."

Connor snorted laughter. "No, I think I've got the small minority that don't sitting here in my office."

N00b sighed and looked away from him while Diode fixated himself on silently tweaking the laser.

"I just think Switch's priority should be on getting us out of here," said Connor. "Not... whatever it is he's doing."

'Whatever it is'? N00b had explained at great length. He sighed and glanced at his pocket computer lying silently on the desk. Connor wasn't the only one who's messages Switch appeared to be ignoring, and it was causing him a great deal of anxiety. 'Whatever it is' happened to be dangerous. The virus, those cracks, both of which were eating away at the entirety of System.

"I personally think what he's doing is more important," said N00b.

"You think there's something more important than getting us humans out of here?!" N00b could almost see the steam coming out of Connor's ears. The pikachu's cheeks sparked dramatically and jolts of electricity danced over the computer monitors. "We're trying to get back into our own world! What's more important to him than that?!"

N00b masked his nerves with a shrug. "Let's face it. You want to get out of here, sure. But you've seen the effects of the virus, and read about those strange cracks that are cropping up everywhere. Seriously, Connor, what would you do if there was no world left to escape from? What do you think would happen to you all then?"

Connor's jaw fell open and he looked from N00b to Diode. The helioptile nodded sullenly and diverted his gaze back to the laser. Connor slipped from his desk and slumped across the office, pausing with one paw on the doorway.

"Then we'd better find a way home quick," he mumbled. "Hadn't we?"

N00b felt his heart sink as he watched the pikachu vanish from the room. One human desperate to get home. His priorities warped. Or were they?

"I don't know what to think," he said as he turned back to his computer.

"Hmm?" Diode raised an eyebrow.

"I know he wants to get home but... doesn't he care what will happen to us when he's gone? If this world is still in shambles?"

Diode gave a solemn shrug and absently tightened a nut on the machine. His unfocused eyes were a clear indication his mind was elsewhere.

"Or maybe he cares too much," said N00b, "He's worried and this is just his way of dealing with it."

Silence fell across the office, broken only by the squeak of metal as Diode worked away. The computers, N00bs pocket computer, Diode... everything was silent. N00b slumped across his desk, resting his head on his paws as he stared at the colourful lights swimming across the black of his computer screen.

"Yeah." Diode's voice startled him and he looked up at the helioptile with with a jerk. Diode wasn't even looking at him, still working on that same nut. "I think you're right."

...

It took a while for Switch's muscles to loosen up. He staggered behind Pixel for a majority of the day, and it wasn't until an orange hue painted the horizon that he was able to keep up with her. Vector was a different case. Despite the apparent pain in his body, enhanced further by the difficulty in navigating the mountain's uneven, rocky surface, he pushed himself on. A couple of times he stopped for a good cough, but those fits appeared to have eased off significantly.

Pixel hadn't been feeling as sore as she'd worried she would, so finding a place for them all to rest had become her main priority while remaining vigilant for her friends. There hadn't been a suitable cave for the past mile or so, and the risk of a landslide was increasing the higher they rose into the mountain. They'd not really had much choice. It had been the only way to avoid an intricate web of black cracks. Once they'd thinned out she'd advised they move back down to lower areas perchance they stumble upon a village but after their last experience Vector had been adamant to avoid any residential areas. He'd told them to go along without him, but she'd refused. His health had been worrying her, but now he'd improved it crossed her mind that they could leave him and look for a village. It wasn't as if they'd be out of contact, and she really wanted to repair her head set.

She paused to look out at the vast mountain range again. The towns and villages below looked minuscule from this height, and the vehicles were mere colourful specks travelling along in neat little rows between tiny houses. She couldn't even see any other pokemon from this position. Even the trees looked less like trees than they did fluffy green puddles splattered around the blocks of colourful buildings. The only thing that marred the sight were those cracks, surrounding the villages like an army threatening to move in on them and consume them until there was nothing left. Like that poor vulpix pup.

She swallowed drily and tore her eyes away, focusing instead on Vector's retreating black and white form. She broke into a trot to keep up with him, scrabbling over a small outcrop to rise onto the flat ground he'd found. Her foot slipped and a clatter echoed through the empty landscape as a pebble broke loose and bounced down the mountain side. Her heart froze as she watched it disappear below them.

"Careful!" Vector looked back at her through narrowed eyes. "You'll cause an avalanche."

"Then slow down!" She pulled herself upright and patted down her fur.

Vector shook his head with a sigh and pressed on, not making any effort to slow down in the slightest. If she was going to keep up with him then she had no choice but to jog. Switch's footsteps echoed steadily behind her, heavy in those black boots. She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure he was okay. The level surface they were on now was much friendlier, made up mainly of soil with the odd patch of soft, cool greenery that was much more pleasant on her paw pads. Spacious too, for her and Vector, but with Switch's size he didn't have much room to work with and he kept a cautious eye on the mountain's steep slope.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine." He smiled and nodded over her shoulder. "If you want to keep up with him then you'd better keep moving."

Vector had almost vanished out of sight. She sped after him, hopping over ledges and scrambling over outcrops until she almost collided with his back. He'd come to a sudden stop, staring anxiously ahead of them. Cutting across their path and dominating most of the remaining mountain was crack after crack after jagged crack, spreading across the ground and rising up into the air like frozen, deadly lightning bolts. The eerie light they emitted dyed the grey surface of the mountain in an inky violet.

"Great." Vector crossed his arms and snorted. "How are we meant to get past this?"

Pixel had no words. She followed the chaotic path the cracks led up and down the mountain. Getting around them would be nigh impossible. They'd need to either see how far they went on the other side of the mountain, or walk for miles and miles back down it and hope to eventually find some way around, and that would likely go against any desire Vector had to avoid any residential areas.

"I can check?" said Switch.

Pixel looked back at him. "You're in no fit state to fly."

"I wasn't earlier but I managed to carry the both of you. If it comes to it, I can get us all over this mess."

"I don't know..." Pixel eyed the anomaly warily. The lines were rather tightly knit, leaving little space to pass through even in the air. "Do you think you can really fly through that?"

He shrugged. "I can give it a try."

"I'm not risking it," said Vector. "If there's no way around it then we'll have to go back. Look for another way through. Surely they don't span the entire region?"

"Hopefully not." Switch warped into his talonflame form, and with one beat, he rose into the air, rising gradually higher as he circled above them.

Pixel squinted, watching the shadow of the talonflame in the darkening sky as he swept back and forth. She thought she caught him shake his head a few times which only made her stomach sink but it wasn't until he landed that the sombre look in his eyes confirmed her fears.

"It goes all the way over the mountain," he said. "I can see no end to it. Even the Binary Jungle is consumed by them."

Pixel clenched her jaw. The Binary Jungle was well beyond the Backbone Mountain. It was a good two day's walk without rest. Her eyes went to the ground and her arms fell limp at her sides. Was it really hopeless? What was happening to the world?

"You can't get us over it?" Vector asked.

Switch shook his head sadly. "There's not enough room between the cracks. I'm not risking all three of our lives."

"You're not risking your own either," Pixel said bluntly.

Switch just crossed his arms and shrugged, scanning his eyes over the mesh of jagged lines. With every second night pulled in, and the less light there was to go by, the more difficult the cracks were to see. But the violet light still reflected off his pale face.

The entire mountain range now felt immensely unwelcome as those cracks became an invisible danger.

Pixel hugged her arms around herself and backed away. "I think we should go back."

"You do that," said Vector. "I'm going to keep looking for a way through."

The meowstic moved away from them, carefully examining the black cracks as he paced up and down. His close proximity to them made Pixel's heart leap into her throat and it was everything she could do to not leap forward and pull him back. Switch let out a flustered sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, Vector. It's no use. I've checked, there's no way past them."

"You checked from the sky," said Vector. "That's not enough evidence. There might be a way underneath and I'm going to find it."

"Maybe so, but do you really want to be that close to them?" Pixel asked.

Vector didn't answer. If anything, he moved even closer, placing both front paws on the floor and peering beneath the cracks.

"I don't know about you," said Switch, "but I'm not forcing my way through a small gap. What if one of those cracks appears to fill in the space and runs right through me?"

"With the speed and spontaneity these things seem to appear, that could happen where you're standing," said Vector. "I don't see what difference it makes."

Switch threw his arms into the air and tutted. "Fine. Let's look for a way through them then."

"Even if there is a small gap," said Vector, "who's to say you'd fit through it?" He looked back at Switch over his shoulder, meeting the human's golden eyes.

Switch's face twisted into a frown and he folded his arms. "Then you go on without me."

Vector tutted and stood up, wiping his paws on his white chest and leaving streaks of dirt behind. "Fine by me. I planned to go alone anyway. You two just insisted on following me."

"What's with the attitude?" asked Switch. "We wouldn't be following you if we hadn't just saved your life!"

"And I saved yours!" barked Vector. "I returned the favour! If it weren't for me, you two would have died in that village!"

"And if it weren't for my wings, all three of us would have died!"

"Stop it!" Pixel cut between them, waving her arms. "Stop arguing! It's getting us nowhere!"

Vector tutted through his teeth and moved away from her. "Look. You saw what happens if you stick with me. Go your own way."

Switch laughed bitterly and shook his head. "So now you're turning your foul attitude into a martyr act?"

His words cut into Vector and he span on the spot, his blue eyes livid. Pixel wasn't sure what happened next. From the angle she was at, the meowstic ether tripped or was shoved by Switch, but the latter was quickly blotted out as the human's face twisted into fear, his eyes widening at the sight of Vector falling away from him. Stones tumbled down the hill as Vector stumbled backwards, flailing his arms. The only thing that would stop his fall lay in the form of a massive boulder behind a mesh of black, glowing cracks.

Pixel shrieked his name as she lunged forwards, stretching out her paws as far as they would go. The fear on his face stabbed through at her heart and she would have met the same fate if Switch hadn't grabbed her by the horn, tugging her back onto the path. All she could do was watch Vector fall backwards into those black cracks, his blue eyes locked onto her violet ones.

His body collided with the cracks, then there was a snap like someone stepping on a brittle twig, amplified through a loudspeaker. The cracks flashed, creating dazzle spots in Pixel's eyes, before they vanished from sight, one after the other in a trail leading back up the mountain. All wind flew out of Vector as he smashed into the boulder, his eyes screwing shut in a wince of pain. The impact seemed to shimmer as though the boulder was made out of film, as though it wasn't really there, but the impact was very real. Vector placed a paw on his ribs and groaned, slowly opening his eyes to look around him.

It took a moment for Pixel to realise her paws were clamped over her mouth. Everything seemed so surreal. One minute, there was a net of cracks and Vector was about to meet a tragic end. Now... those cracks were gone. Not all of them. Some still remained, creating an arc above their heads and leading down towards the villages. The ones that had previously stood in Vector's path were gone. That shimmer she'd noticed was now everywhere. The plants, the boulder... they didn't seem real. She stared down at them, trying to pinpoint what it was. What was so strange about them. Then she saw it. A small chain of numbers rose up from them. It was similar to binary code. Zeros and ones that meant nothing to her, but interspersed with other numbers and letters and symbols.

"What... what is this?" she gasped. "What just happened?"

Switch blinked and opened his mouth, stuttering as he tried to take it all in. It didn't make sense. What had just happened didn't make sense. Didn't those cracks kill those who entered them?

"I think he nullified it," Switch finally said.

Vector stared at them, his breath coming in heavy bursts. He pushed himself back from the boulder and moved slowly through the thin strands of numbers, taking it all in. The numbers weren't phased by his body. They weren't stopped by the presence of a solid being. There was nothing to them at all. Just a strange, unexplained presence created by those cracks.

"I don't understand." Vector looked down at his paws as though seeing them for the first time. "Did I do that?"

"It looks like it." Switch smiled and moved over to him, stooping to place a hand on his shoulder. "The upside is we can now move forward."

Switch moved ahead of him, whistling as he looked up at the remaining black cracks. Deleted. Now the initial shock was over, that was the word that came to Pixel's mind. The best word to describe what had just happened.

As she followed after Switch and Vector, she couldn't take her eyes off the meowstic. His odd colouration felt akin to the wisps of numbers rising up from the plants and rocks. They were like scars left behind by those horrible cracks.

No virus. A discoloured body. Was there any possibility he had deleted the virus from his body like he'd deleted those black cracks?

She looked away from him and shuddered as the thought of Central Meta Hospital's horrific plan rose in her mind. Had they been closer to a cure than even they had realised?

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	17. Binary Code

**A/N - Again, I'm a day late. It's because I'm also posting this to Wattpad and I wanted to give a book club I'd started a full day in the top spot of my fanfiction where it's easier to see. Kinda should have done it the other way round, I guess. Thanks again to all faves, reviews and follows! =D**

16 – Binary Code

Retro nibbled on a pen – the eraser long since whittled away – while she stared somewhat perplexed at the map of black lines. Something had disturbed them, but she couldn't quite put her claw on it. It was different somehow.

Three more eyes peered over her shoulders at the computer monitor, having abandoned their own scrutiny of the maps on their screens. Each one showed a different section of the Binary Jungle via external cameras, but it appeared only Retro's camera had picked up on this anomaly.

"Pardon my assumption, ma'am," said Amp, "but could it be that one of the lines has vanished?"

"That's what I thought," she replied. "But which one?"

Alarm let out two short screams, putting Retro's fur on end. She glanced back at the unown A and raised an eyebrow, but before she could open her mouth, the unown scooted closer to her screen and pointed with one of her tendrils.

"What's that?!"

Retro and the other two unown leant in closer to the screen, but whatever Alarm had seen was miniscule. Retro clicked her mouse over the area to zoom in and all of them let out simultaneous gasps.

Amp's eye widened so much it almost consumed his body. "Are those-?"

"Eggs?" X nodded. "Eggs-actly."

"Why are there eggs in the middle of the jungle?" Retro scratched her head and frowned at the computer. "It doesn't make sense. They're normally laid indoors."

"Maybe they were laid in a hurry?" said X.

"And left behind?" Retro shook her head. "That doesn't seem right. Parent pokemon would take their eggs with them."

"Not if they were tiny," said X.

"Tiny pokemon lay tiny eggs," said Amp. "Use your common sense, X."

"I can't." X closed his eye. "I left it in my sock drawer this morning."

"You don't even wear socks!"

"I _could_ wear socks. Besides, whether or not I wear socks would not disprove that I'm in the possession of a drawer to store said socks."

Amp seethed silently, causing the very walls to shudder.

"I have to say," X continued, "that your assumption is absol-utely preposterous."

" _You're_ preposterous!"

"Boys!" Retro rounded on them, causing them to freeze and blink at her. "You're frightening Alarm."

The unown A shivered behind Retro's right shoulder.

"I am so terribly sorry," said Amp as quietly as he could to the timid unown, "that my unwarranted outburst caused your immediate discomfort."

Retro smiled and nodded. "Good. Now let's put an end to the arguing while we suss this out. Eggs are in the jungle. It should be added to our list of anomalies." She turned back to the computer and commenced nibbling her pencil again. "The question is – why? Why has a crack vanished and revealed those eggs?"

"I'd like to know why it vanished in the first place," said Amp. "Evidence suggests these things multiply, not vanish!"

"I agree," said X. "It is x-tremely fascinating. And rather quite terrifying."

"Terrifying." Retro leant back in her chair, the tip of the pencil resting on her lip.

Those eggs were still on the silent monitor, surrounded by a web of black cracks. A trail of eggs, leading through the jungle, vanishing out of sight beyond a mass of ferns. Each one seemed to be smoking, or giving off a strange white cloud of mist. She zoomed in again and dropped her pencil on the floor. The discussion that had been going on behind her came to an abrupt end as all eyes snapped back to the computer.

It wasn't mist those eggs were giving off.

It was binary code.

...

The path between the ominous cracks zigged and zagged and twisted sharply left and right so much so it looked at first like there was no path there. Pixel's heart was in her throat most of the time as she desperately tried to avoid touching them. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but the binary trailing off the rocks and plants seemed to tickle her fur.

Violet reflected off Vector's white fur. He kept his paws to his chest, his eyes flitting left and right as they followed the black cracks looming over them. She wasn't the only one who found it daunting. Even Switch seemed on edge, but he didn't voice it. The cracks gave very little room between them, so he'd had to take on his talonflame form to fit comfortably between them.

Vector exclaimed loudly and came to a sharp stop. Pixel had to put on her breaks and she felt Switch's sharp beak strike against her horn. She glanced back to see him rubbing it with a wing feather.

"Sorry," she said.

He shrugged. "Not your fault." Then he added over her shoulder, "What is it?"

Vector grimaced and balled his paws into fists. "We can't get through. They're too close together here."

"You can't..." Switch clicked his beak in thought. "Maybe... erase more of them?"

Vector's yellow eyes frowned at him over his shoulder. "How long have you been wanting to ask me that?"

"Since I was forced to waddle along with my wings clipped to my sides."

The meowstic tentatively brought a paw up to his nose to scratch it, then closed his eyes with a sigh.

"I don't know if I even did that," he said. "I mean... what if it was just a freak coincidence?"

"What if it wasn't?"

Vector said nothing, but narrowed his eyes.

"I agree with Switch." Pixel drew Vector's leer from Switch onto her. "It seems like too much of a coincidence to actually be one."

"So you want me to risk my life?" Vector snorted. "Voluntarily touch one of those things?"

"I don't see how much difference it makes," said Switch. "We'll probably end up doing so just turning around to retrace our steps!"

Vector trailed his eyes over the web of cracks, muttering incoherently to himself. He shifted uneasily then looked down at his paws. Pixel and Switch stood awkwardly, rooted to the spot, desperate to not so much as twitch and come into contact with those strange cracks. She couldn't work out what Vector was saying to himself, but she wondered if it was a bit of a pep talk. Her heart leapt into her throat when he reached out his left paw to touch the glowing, jagged wall beside him.

The sound of a snapping twig, amplified so much it caused her ears to ring.

A flash.

Another gap had opened up around them, leaving Vector standing amongst it with his jaw hanging open, staring at his paw as though it was the first time he'd even seen it.

"Vector?" She took a small step towards him.

"What..." He shook his head, still staring at his paw. "What has happened to me?"

"I don't know," she said. "But those things can't hurt you. Can they?" Her question was shrouded with doubt as she looked over the remaining cracks.

Vector shuddered from ear to toe. "Why me? Why can I do this?"

"Listen, man." Switch strutted over to him, stretching his wings out gratefully in the newly opened space. "You've got a gift that can probably save this world! If you can get rid of these cracks... wow! I want to see what would happen if you touched someone with the virus!"

Vector narrowed his eyes on him, letting his paws drop down at his sides. His lips turned up into a sneer, revealing his sharp canines.

"Wouldn't that be willingly offering myself a death sentence?!"

Switch raised his wings in a shrug. "Not if it has the same effect as it does on these cracks."

Vector deflated and waved a paw at him. "Anyway. What does it matter? Haven't I already had the virus?" He paused and looked down at his paws again. "Maybe that's why..." His eyes drifted up to the web of black and violet. They were barely visible against the quickly darkening sky.

"You think the virus destroys these cracks?" Switch asked.

Vector shook his head. "I don't know. If it does... then it doesn't make sense."

"They don't make sense in the first place! They just came out of nowhere, along with that virus."

"No. They came out of the Fracture," said Vector. "I saw them. It looked like the world was breaking."

Pixel blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? You _saw_ them?"

"Yes." Vector met her eyes. "They swallowed up anything that fell into them."

"Like the vulpix..." Her voice trailed off and she looked away from him. Swallowing up the world... stretching out like a spider's web, destroying everything they touched. He'd seen it. Hax hadn't lied when he said that vulpix didn't come out of the cracks. Had the other missing children wandered in out of curiosity? Stumbled and fallen inside? Maybe been forced in as one of the cracks appeared right through them?

She cringed at the last thought and gave her head a sharp shake to clear it away. It didn't bare thinking about. It was too awful.

"Are you okay?" Switch placed a wing on her shoulder and she came back to reality.

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "I'm fine. Let's find somewhere to rest."

Vector's eyes lingered on her for a moment. The expression of concern in his eyes was enough to make her wonder if he'd asked the question and not Switch. He tore himself away and cleared his throat.

"Yeh. I'll be surprised if we don't at least find a cave we can hide in."

...

It wasn't a cave, but it was certainly shelter. Pixel trailed her eyes up and down the wooden structure – a little hut up in the mountains, most likely used as a quiet retreat by someone at sometime in its existence, although she couldn't quite fathom why. It didn't look out at a spectacular view. It perched on a flat, sturdy outcrop facing a shallow, rocky drop down towards a scattering of stray trees and a river which was peppered with fallen boulders. The hut itself had seen better days. Right now, in the dark of the early morning, it had a sad and lonely feeling about it. A derelict little hut that at some point suffered a blow from an avalanche which had taken out a chunk of its roof. Its state of disrepair spoke loud and clear about its current abandonment.

The inside was no better. The door creaked open on loose hinges to reveal a mildew-ridden sofa standing beneath the roof's hole which was severe enough to not keep out the rain. At the other end, by a blocked up fireplace, stood a wobbly table beneath a thick layer of dust. In the middle of the table was a vase, the only thing that actually remained in good condition. It crossed Pixel's mind to move it somewhere safer, but part of her didn't have the heart to disturb anything. Before they even entered, her senses were assaulted with the sharp scent of mould and dust.

Vector flopped onto the floor with his back against the wall and let out a long groan. He sat with his eyes closed and his head resting against the blackening wood, not so much as twitching when Switch collapsed down next to him with a hefty sigh.

Pixel gave the sofa a sorry glance before joining Vector's other side, but despite how tired she was she wouldn't close her eyes. She kept them fixed on the world outside, which fluttered in and out of her vision as the door creaked back and forth in the wind. She didn't know why she felt so nervous. Maybe it was because she was sitting in an abandoned hut, which she'd never done before in her life. However, they weren't exactly in any danger. No one was in the mountains, especially not at this hour.

She forced herself to close her eyes and huddled down against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. When she opened them again, light was pouring in through the door tinting everything it touched in a pale orange.

"Sunrise," she muttered, rubbing a paw over her eyes. She hadn't expected to actually sleep. She didn't even recall her dream.

The two boys were still sound asleep. A weak smile spread across her lips and she pushed herself up, her body aching from all the scrambling they'd done up the mountain. Her stomach growled and she glanced back to make sure she'd not woken her friends. Neither of them stirred. With a sigh of relief, she moved out onto the outcrop and had a look around. The dull grey of the mountain was dyed in an inky orange from the rising sun which reflected off the river as it gurgled around the rocks below her. The trees around it were heavy with berries. She did a quick calculation to see if her aching muscles would allow her a gentle climb and decided against it. Her stomach rumbled in protest and she gave it a sympathetic pat as she looked around. A small gasp escaped her when she spotted the tree growing beside the hut. All of them had been too tired to notice it the night before, their minds focused on getting some sleep, but there stood a cheri tree with enough low branches bearing its bright red fruit. She quickly gathered them up and stuffed them into her bag until it was fit to burst. What wouldn't fit she scooped into her arms and scurried back into the hut.

"Breakfast, boys! I found cheri berries!"

She fell to her knees and dropped the berries onto Switch's lap. He rubbed a hand across his eyes and yawned.

"How long have we been asleep?" he asked.

"I've no idea." She tugged her scarf from around her neck to use as a makeshift picnic mat. "I was too hungry to think about it."

Switch deposited the berries onto her scarf and helped himself to one. He took a bite out of it and nodded to Vector. "Should we wake him?"

Pixel stared at the meowstic as she considered this. His ears twitched a couple of times but her excited outburst hadn't woken him. She shrugged.

"Yeh, I think we should give him a little longer," said Switch over a mouthful of berry. "I don't want to get bitten."

She chuckled and tucked into the berries. They ate in silence for a while, watching the sunrise through the door. The light spread throughout the hut, cut off periodically as the door swung lazily on its weak hinges. It smacked against the wooden frame as a gust whipped in through a crack in the window, cutting off the sunlight and stirring up the dust on the floor. Switch cleared his throat and stood up.

"I don't know how much longer we're going to be here, but it's pretty musty. I'd rather prop the door open."

"You could use one of the chairs?" Pixel suggested.

Four dining chairs were positioned around the wobbly table. He grabbed one and lifted it, but there was a creak and a snap as it fell from his hand and clattered onto the floor. A heavy feeling of guilt spread through Pixel's chest as she stared open-mouthed at the chair's remains.

Switch wiped the splinters onto the leg of his jeans and grunted. "Wood rot."

"Urgh, would you cut it out with the noise?" Vector stretched and wiped a paw across his nose. He snorted and coughed as he strained to push himself up.

"Oops. We poked the sleeping beartic," said Switch.

Vector narrowed his eyes at him then beat the dust from his fur.

"Sleep well?" Switch asked flatly.

"Yeh. But my lungs feel like someone's attacked them with a cheese grater." He staggered across the room and wrenched the door open, and when he stepped outside, he stood on the edge of the outcrop and took in deep breaths.

Pixel followed after him and handed him a berry. "I picked breakfast."

He took it from her gratefully and sat down with his feet hanging over the edge.

"Are you still recovering from yesterday's attack?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I think I'm more sore from the climb."

"I meant your chest."

Before he could answer, Switch appeared beside her and draped her scarf over her head. "I think it's just allergies."

Pixel lifted her scarf from her face to look up at Vector. He paused to lick the berry juice from his paw then let it fall into his lap.

"Your friend's right," he said. "My mother had to keep the house immaculate. I never could tolerate dust or damp." He sighed and shook his head, his eyes locked on the trees below. "I wouldn't mind getting down to that river for a drink."

"We passed a spring yesterday," said Switch. "We could backtrack a bit. It's not far."

Vector gave him a dismissive grunt and pushed himself up. "I don't want to retrace my footsteps. I'm going to follow that river, see where it takes me." He pointed to the sky and Pixel followed his paw. A speck flowed smoothly up by the clouds. Too smoothly to be a flying pokemon. "You two could get back to your island. You'd be safer there than with me."

"That's Cyan Island?" Pixel gasped.

"Huh. So it is." Switch smiled. "Well, I guess it does move faster than we do."

"Are you sure it's not one of the other two?"

"Well, it's not pointy enough to be Magenta. And there's no water trailing off it, so it's not Luma. It has to be yours."

"I've never seen Magenta or Luma, so I wouldn't know." She watched the floating speck, warring with the desire to go back where it was safe. Where she could repair her head set, tell Leaf about Gear Village's hostility, about Vector's ability to erase the black cracks. She clenched her paws and braced herself to ask Switch to take her back, but Vector's vanishing form over the rocky mountainside abolished any such desires and she found herself trailing after him.

"We're staying on the ground then?" Switch asked as he followed after her.

Vector's ears flicked backwards, silently acknowledging their presence. He didn't slow for them to catch up, clearly reverting to his initial intention to go his separate way. After what they'd all been through, Pixel wasn't going to allow that.

If she left him, she'd have no idea if he was okay. No idea if the scientists at Central Meta Hospital had tracked him down and abducted him. No idea if any other towns, cities or villages had the same policy Gear Village had and the worst had happened.

Getting in touch with Leaf would have to wait.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	18. Taking Out the Trash

**A/N - Busy, busy, busy...**

17 – Taking Out the Trash

Hertz had been staring at the same spot in the sky for some time, drawing confused looks from Mono and Sample and any other pokemon that passed by him. A few glances went to the spot he was fixated with, but it only caused the shaking of heads or a shrug before they went about their business.

Hertz stroked his chin with a claw as his eyes trailed away to the black cracks, and not for the first time. He wasn't mistaken. He couldn't be. One of those cracks had vanished, flickered out on his peripheral vision while he was tracking Cyan Island. He was convinced there was less of them now. Not only that, Cyan Island had changed course. The rogue drifting continent was heading for the same spot. It was the only explanation. One of those jagged cracks had... popped.

"I don't know, I don't keep track of 'em." Sample's deep voice rumbled by his ear and he gave the exploud a sideways glance. The exploud shifted uneasily, diverting his gaze to the rundown buildings that were plentiful in Spool City.

"I'm sorry?" said Hertz.

"The cracks," said Sample. "I don't keep track of 'em. But they just appear randomly so I guess they can vanish n'all."  
"The buffoon has a point," said Mono. "If they appear out of the blue, then why can't they vanish as well? Their behaviour is probably just random. We should focus on gettin' to that island."

Hertz made a thoughtful noise and let his paws fall to his sides. "It's heading that way anyway. So if we follow it, we'll still find answers."

"I don't think an answer is just gonna drop outta the sky, Hertz," said Mono.

"Well if we don't find anything, then it will solidify your 'random' theory."

The wartortle shrugged and trudged along behind him, doubled over beneath the weight of her rucksack. Hertz couldn't care less how she felt. Along with Sample, the two of them were responsible for manslaughter and if they stayed around here they'd likely be caught. Then he'd be down two assistants. Their careless mistake had also obliterated any chance they had of hiring a flier to speed things up, now they had to walk or find a vehicle and he didn't quite fancy riding around on a hover-board. It had crossed his mind to hitch a ride on a wagon, but the chance they'd stumble across one heading in the same direction was slim. The wagons were all automated, following set tracks like the drifting continents were meant to.

He watched the rogue island as it vanished inside a low cloud. They were going to lose it if they weren't careful.

"I wonder if anyone does log the behaviour of those cracks?" he said, mostly to himself.

Sample gave a shrug. "No idea. It wouldn't surprise me if there is someone though. Like stargazers tracking the night sky."

"You make it sound romantic," Mono snorted.

"It is, stargazin'. The cracks though..." he waved a paw. "I can think of better things to take a lady to."

Mono sputtered laughter and almost buckled completely beneath her bag. Sample reached out a massive paw and dragged her back up right by one of the shoulder straps.

"Don't show weakness around here," he grunted into her ear.

"No. Don't," said Hertz. "Otherwise I'll be leaving you behind."

Mono frowned and picked up pace beside him, casting her eyes over a group of skuntank gathered around a bar, enjoying what was left of the sun's rays before it vanished behind a grey cloud. Two of them watched her curiously, sipping at some nauseatingly green liquid from grimy glasses.

Hertz abruptly turned a corner, causing Mono to stumble as she tried desperately to keep up with him. She crashed into the back of his legs as he froze and followed his gaze to an open garage door on the corner of an alley. A small brown pokemon ducked inside it, immediately followed by the clanging of metal.

What was strange about it was not many pokemon had need of garages. Hover-boards were small enough to be kept inside a house. A garage nowadays was a luxury that took up too much space. Extra space to store excess stuff. Many of them had been demolished to make way for new buildings or turned into home extensions. For a garage to be functioning in Spool City, this tiny – and oddly familiar – pokemon must be paying out of his nose.

Hertz strutted towards the metal shutter and peered inside. As he passed the alley, a trubbish shouted something from inside a trash can. He didn't give the trubbish a second glance. His attention was fixated on the pokemon inside the garage. He hadn't been wrong. The brown pokemon was indeed familiar. A little lillipup lay flat on his back as he worked away with a spanner beneath a bullet-shaped car. A car identical to the one he'd watched fly away from the hospital. The same car that had accompanied the pokemon who had taken the meowstic from him. The sour look plastered across Sample and Mono's faces told him he wasn't wrong.

The thought of revenge coupled with the reward of flying away in a vehicle that would make their journey a lot easier elicited a purr from deep in his throat.

"Excuse me," he said.

The little lillipup turned his head to look at him. A smile began to cross his lips then faltered as his eyes moved between Sample and Mono.

"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you," Hertz began, "but I have need of your car."

The lillipup flipped himself onto his feet and tried to give the gallade as nonchalant a look as he could muster, but the recognition had been plain on his face.

"I'm sorry, it's not for hire." He turned away and deposited the spanner into a toolbox much too big for him to carry.

"I didn't say I was hiring."

The lillipup's ears stiffened as Hertz stepped into the garage. He watched him out of the corner of his eye, all the fur along his hackles rising. Hertz thought he caught the glimpse of a canine poking out of his lips. It looked like the runt was going to put up a fight.

Not surprising. He'd been audacious enough to assist in a breakout. He wasn't just the convenient getaway driver. But if he thought he could stand up to three adult pokemon, one of which had a type advantage, he was very much mistaken.

"All right, boss!" Sample slammed his paw onto the hood of the car, but the lillipup didn't so much as flinch. "I'll drag this thing outside so it doesn't get a dent in it, right?"

Hertz waved a paw at him. "Sure. I'm going to need some space."  
The lillipup's face fell as he watched Sample hoist the front of the car onto his broad back. The exploud screwed his eyes shut under the strain as he dragged it across the concrete floor. The lillipup's eyes flitted to the door and back and he fell back onto his haunches, covering his muzzle with his paws.

"No! Don't take the N00b Mobile!" His voice was muffled behind his paws, and he watched Sample with eyes so wide they made his already tiny face look minuscule.

Hertz laughed bitterly and slammed a fist into his paw. "You'll be needing your own set of wheels when we're through with you."

He fixed the gallade with his wide eyes, paws still clasped over his muzzle.

"You don't meddle in government business and get away with it, little mutt," Hertz continued. "Mono, if you could hold him still? I'm not really in the mood to chase this runt around the garage."  
"It'll be my pleasure!" Mono laughed and took a step forward, and stopped. Her nose twitched and she lifted it into the air, her face twisting with disgust.

An almighty crash shook the foundations as Sample collapsed beneath the car, sending it onto its side. The lillipup let out a pained whine from behind his paws.

His paws...

Hertz felt his own nose twitch and his face fell. He lowered his fists and strained to glance over his shoulder, but the putrid smell in the air only intensified as it penetrated further into the garage. His stomach lurched and he doubled over, emptying the contents of his breakfast onto the floor. He wasn't the only one. Mono dry-heaved beside him before rolling onto her side with her paws clamped over her nose.

It was pointless. Whatever toxins had been spewed into the air had already began their job. Hertz's vision clouded over and he watched the lillipup smiling at him, his muzzle still hidden safely behind his paws.

...

N00b scurried from the garage on his hind legs and finally uncovered his muzzle to take deep breaths of clean, uncontaminated air. He leant back against the wall and smiled down at the trubbish. The poison pokemon didn't smile back at him. His attention was fixed on the garage's opening as he eyed up the three unconscious pokemon.

"Thanks, Kurg!"

The trubbish shrugged his tentacles. "Don't mention it. I did you a favour. I owed you one anyway."

N00b chuckled. "You owed me nothing. I think I'm in your debt."

"All right. I'll hold you to that." He crossed his tentacles and frowned at the three pokemon. "So what do government cronies want with you?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that."

Kurg shrugged. "All right. Suit yerself."

N00b watched him waddle back towards the alley, past the open shutter. Those three pokemon wouldn't be unconscious for much longer. Their presence alone set alarm bells ringing in his mind. They'd come looking for something, but they'd not expected to find him. Or had they?

He clenched his teeth together and kicked himself back from the wall.

"Kurg?"

The trubbish peered back at him. "What?"

"I think I need to owe you two favours. I need to get away from here. I think it's obvious to you that those guys know me. You see, I got... mixed up in something. I can't risk them finding Connor, and I'm too small to move them, especially the exploud."

Kurg scratched his head with a tentacle. "What d'ya expect me to do?"

"Do you know anyone strong enough? We need to move them before they wake up."

"There's me dad. He could shift them, but he won't be nice about it." Kurg narrowed his eyes questioningly. "What did you get mixed up in? You're a good pup."  
N00b grimaced and diverted his gaze. "Like I said, I can't tell you. But they're bad pokemon. Please, Kurg. If they find Connor..."

"I know, I know. Don't stress your tail off. Since they're the bad guys in all this, I guess it don't matter if me dad's not nice about it. I'll go get him. You make like a beedrill. Okay?"

N00b's heart felt a lot lighter. He almost squealed with relief. "Roger!"

He ran back into the garage with his tail wagging. His poor car was still lying on its side. It took all his strength to pivot it back onto its wheels and by the time it was upright, he was out of breath. When the engine fired into life, he breathed out a 'thank you' and revved it out onto the street.

He didn't know why those three wanted his car. His only guess was they had a lead on Vector's whereabouts. He looked over at the horizon as the N00b Mobile sped down the empty streets. There, drifting just below the clouds was Cyan Island, but Vector wouldn't be up there now. If they were heading towards that, then he'd be okay. Unless they thought he was somewhere else? Or they wanted Leaf...?

He tugged out his pocket computer and stabbed at Switch's name with a claw. Hopefully he'd answer and shed some light on the situation.

But his heart sank with every single ring until it hit his answering service.

...

Hertz took a deep breath then immediately regretted it. Garbage fell around his ears as he pushed himself up, lifting the lid off the skip and taking gulps of cleaner air. Sample and Mono joined him, the latter looking like a fuse was about to snap in her mind.

"Why that little-!" She clenched her jaw and peeled a rotting sitrus rind from her cheek. "When I get my paws on him..."

Hertz said nothing as he pushed himself out of the skip. His paw brushed paper and he paused, plucking the crumpled sheet free from its sticky tape. Mono's ramble became background noise as he read over the scrawled lettering, his brow furrowing with each syllable.

' _We took out the trash. Now it's time for some snacks. See ya!_

 _Mildew and Kurg._ '

He clenched his fist around the mocking sheet and let the crumpled mess fall to the floor. Mono's rant came to an abrupt end as his eyes locked on her and Sample.

"Find me that lillipup," he said. When the two didn't budge, he narrowed his eyes into slits. "Now!"

The exploud and wartortle launched themselves from the trash in a shower of debris, half slipping half running from the alley. Mono stumbled as she threw the bag onto her back, ricochetting against the grimy wall. Hertz clasped his paws behind his back and stared down at the ball of scrunched up paper. With a snort he kicked it beneath the skip and followed his assistants out onto the empty street.

...

 **Just in case you forgot, Kurg is the trubbish Switch quickly talks to in chapter 2. I saw an opportunity to give him an extra part.**

 **Please R &R! =D**


	19. Pointing Claws

**A/N - I'm sleepy today. Just thought I'd say that. Also kinda hooked on Pokemon Uranium. Pretty cool fangame I have to say.**

18 – Pointing Claws

The cool water was revitalising with every refreshing gulp. Soon every cobweb of sleep was washed away. Pixel stood up and wiped a paw across her mouth, scattering droplets onto the vibrant grass. Vector was still doubled over on all-fours with his face almost submerged in the running water. He gulped noisily while Switch crouched down beside him, throwing water over his face and hair until it wet the collar of his coat. He shook the water free, but it still dripped down his face. He fell back into the grass with a sigh and yawned widely.

"I could easily go back to sleep again in this sun," he said.

Pixel hummed in agreement and stretched languidly. If they were going to make any progress, she'd have to not settle down in the sun's rays.

Vector finally stood up and swiped the back of his paw across his lips. "Be my guest," he said. "But I'm not stopping."

"Oh! What have you done?!"

All eyes shot up to spot the speaker. Clambering out of the bushes came an old feraligatr, fear plain on his wrinkled face.

"You've contaminated the river!" he shrieked, his voice wavering with age. "That water feeds a village of water pokemon. Goldeen and barboach live in here, amongst others. Do you have no respect?!"

Pixel rose to her feet, bracing for an attack, but all Vector did was snort and wave a paw at the feraligatr.

"Don't worry yourself. I'm clean," he said.

"You don't look it," the feraligatr grunted. "Ain't seen any other white meowstic in my life."

"No one had seen a golden one until it hatched from an egg."

The feraligatr crossed his arms and frowned. "You hatch that colour?"

"No." Vector narrowed his eyes. "I had the virus, and it's gone. I'm no threat to you."

"A likely story! I had you pegged from the start! There ain't no white meowstic!"

Pixel cut in front of Vector before he could retort, squaring herself up to the feraligatr. The only thing between them was the river, and despite his age he was likely a much better swimmer than she was. But the chances of him confronting them without a protective suit were about as likely as her ability to out-swim him.

"He said he's clean," she told him. "You don't need to worry."

"Yeh? Right!" The feraligatr laughed drily. "There's no cure for that wretched virus! You've probably got it yourself! Travelling with a contaminated pokemon? And with a human of all things?! That's two threats right there!"

If Switch was bothered by the feraligatr's words, he didn't show it. Pixel turned her eyes back on the giant reptile but before she could say anything more, Vector's paw landed on her shoulder, sending a jolt of surprise through her body. She craned her neck to look back at him, but his blue eyes were locked on the feraligatr.

"Don't worry," he said flatly. "We're leaving."

They turned away to walk up the river, away from the feraligatr and in the opposite direction of the town.

"You do that!" his voice called after them. "But that won't fix what you've done! You should know better!"

Vector's face creased into a grimace and he tutted between his teeth. His paw still rested on Pixel's shoulder as he steered her along the riverbank, and his grip tightened as his entire body tensed.

"There'll be a SWAT team looking for you!" The feraligatr's voice was much quieter now. Pixel ventured a glance back, spotting him as he vanished beyond the trees. "I'll tell them everything!"

"Just walk away," said Switch quietly.

"Yes, and quickly." said Vector. "We'll want to outrun that SWAT team. I doubt he was just all talk."

"I don't understand," said Pixel. "You told him the truth. You've done nothing wrong."

Vector snorted. "You didn't exactly react well when you first saw me."

She felt her cheeks heat up and she looked away from him. "I was just surprised! I wasn't expecting it. I know you're clean."

"You only know that because I was scanned. Would you really have believed me if you had no evidence to prove it?"

He released her and marched ahead of them, his feet stamping over the grass and snapping brittle twigs beneath his pads.

She could feel Switch's eyes on her as she seethed silently, her paws balling into fists. After they'd rescued him from that hospital, he really thought so little of her?

"Yes." Her voice came out louder than she'd intended. He faltered momentarily in his tracks, his ears flicking back to her. "No one wants that virus," she went on. "I don't think any pokemon would just walk into a town like a ticking time bomb to contaminate anyone. It's no terrorist attack. I don't believe for a minute that the virus is made by a malicious pokemon. I believe it's linked to all this." She waved a paw at the surrounding cracks that marred the sky. "The virus showed itself before these cracks, and from what you said it followed whatever went on inside the Fracture!"

Vector halted with his arms hanging limply at his sides. The three of them stood in silence, the only sounds coming from the rushing river and the wind stirring the leaves in the branches above them. A dry chuckle came from his throat and he closed his eyes.

"It wasn't made by a malicious pokemon, huh?" He ran a paw over the black tuft of fur between his ears and chuckled again. "I don't know about malicious, but that flash was caused by a pokemon, Pixel. My group went into the Fracture to set off a bomb in hopes another explosion would reverse the damage and give the humans a way back home."

The gasp that escaped her throat had been at the surprise of any pokemon entering the Fracture. There was no way out. Drones had been lost in there, all connection with them destroyed the second they went beyond the static that surrounded it. From the look in Vector's eye, he hadn't picked up on that.

"That bomb was my own invention," he said. "The whole _amazing plan_ had been my idea. I'm responsible for the flash, the virus, those cracks."

Pixel's jaw went slack. All strength was leaving her legs. His eyes opened wider under her stare, but the seriousness behind them didn't change. He'd made his point and as he turned away everything about him told her he'd expected her reaction. She watched him walk further away until he vanished around the river bend.

The world was breaking. All because of an attempt to send the humans home.

"But it was an accident." Her voice came out weak and she slumped onto her knees. "Wasn't it?"

The doubt behind her voice drew Switch's golden eyes onto her. He'd been oddly silent during Vector's revelation. Nothing to say. An explosion, followed by a deadly virus and dangerous cracks. All because a group of pokemon had tried to help the humans by giving them a way home.

If the humans didn't have enough negativity aimed at them already, they would if that news got out.

...

The N00b Mobile's engine wasn't holding up like N00b had expected it to, but he could liken that to the massive upgrade he'd barely finished installing. The lillipup let out a long sigh as he eyed the dial above his steering wheel. Sure, he was flying at a steady ninety miles per hour, but the engine was making a rather stomach-turning ' _puttputt!_ ' noise as it tried to keep the car in the air while straining to keep up with the increased power it was trying to put out. If it kept up like this, he feared he'd need to land before he reached Cyan Island.

And it might not be a voluntary land, either...

The sheer thought caused the fur along his hackles to rise and he gave one last look at the speck gliding along in the distance before he pulled the gear stick to lower the gear and slowly steered the bullet car's nose towards the ground. The engine immediately complained less as the car descended, almost as if it knew it's struggling was soon to end.

"Don't worry," he told the car. "I'll get that engine sorted out before I put you through that again."

The car's wheels touched down on a bed of soft, lush grass, and N00b looked around at the fields and distant woods. Giant stalks of corn waved in the breeze beyond a low wall, their golden-yellow ears showing they were ripe for harvest. Just a few feet away a brook babbled through the middle of the field on its journey from the Backbone Mountains. The only building in sight was a lone farm shack at the far end of the field.

His nose twitched at the crisp air and he bit his lip. "There's just one problem." He gave the car's dashboard a sympathetic pat. "I've no idea where I'm going to fix you."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	20. Infection

**A/N - Urk! I'm sorry. I've not been well. It left me totally unmotivated to proof read or write. I'm still not great but I'm going to try to stay on top of things. Although next week, we're away, so there'll be some delays again but it's only for a week.**

19 - Infection

Whether or not Pixel had wanted to follow Vector was irrelevant. She couldn't find him anyway. The path he'd taken was pretty clear. The gaping spot between a web of black cracks made that obvious, but the road forked from there and there was no sign of him at all. Not even a paw print in the dirt or crushed grass and weeds marking a trail through them.

"The offer's still there," said Switch. "I can try to spot him from the sky."  
She ran a paw down her face and let out a sharp sigh as she shook her head. She'd been hesitating at the fork in the road and he'd noticed it.

"No," she said. "It's okay."

She took the left one and marched down the rocky slope towards the small village below, almost hidden beneath a net of cracks. A village. That should be a clear enough indication he'd taken the other path that lead back up into the mountains, unless he wanted to lose them and had gone this way regardless of the threat of a village full of sceptical and fearful pokemon.

"You're angry with him." Switch's voice drew her eye over her shoulder to meet his golden ones. His arms were folded behind his head as he strolled a yard or so behind her. "I'm right aren't I?" he asked.

She looked down at her feet as they manoeuvred around a tangle of stinging nettles. "I don't know what to think right now. His group shouldn't have been messing with the Fracture in the first place."

"But his heart was in the right place," said Switch. "He said he was trying to bridge a way back to the human world."

"If he was telling the truth."

"You think he was lying?"

"Like I said. I don't know what to think right now." She shook her head sadly. "If it were something so innocent then why not tell us in the first place? Why keep it silent until now?"

"Guilt, Pixel."

She stopped and looked back at him again.

"It's fairly obvious," he went on. "How would you feel if you'd tried to help with a dire situation and instead caused a major catastrophe?"

Her eyes drifted to the trunk of a cheri tree as his words slowly sunk in.

"He's looking for a cure," said Switch. "For a way to repair all this damage."

"But he doesn't want anything to do with us," she said. "Even though we rescued him, he's so..."

"I'd put it all down to guilt. He said he didn't want our help, and I think the reason he told us all that was a way to put us off sticking with him. He certainly rattled your cage, huh?" He gave her a broad smile and placed a hand on her head as he moved past her. "Come on. That feraligatr's words are hanging over me. If he was honest about that SWAT team tailing us, I'd like to lose them."

They continued silently down the path, their ears pricked for any sound of pursuers behind them. But the mountain trail remained as quiet as ever, the only sounds the rustling of leaves in the breeze and their footsteps over the dry earth.

Pixel was feeling a little better after venting to Switch, but the situation with Vector was still hanging heavily over her. He'd never once implied he'd caused the explosion out of malicious intent, and her doubts over his intentions were crippling her with guilt so much she was beginning to feel sick. Her eyes drifted to the shrubberies beside the path and for a moment she thought she saw a streak of white between the thin branches. She bolted over to it and pulled them apart, but the only thing on the other side that was remotely close to that white was a spray of white flowers. A sigh of defeat escaped her lips and she rejoined a confused-looking Switch who gave her a shake of the head.

"Are you sure you don't want me to fly?" he asked. "I could find him a lot faster."

She shook her head. "No. If you did that, you might just reveal our location to the SWAT team."

"They don't know I can change shape."

"It might still attract them. They might want a bird's-eye view and try to gain your help. Then they'll find me and put two and two together."

He made a thoughtful noise and folded his arms behind his head. "Good point. Paranoid point, but a good point non-the-less." He flashed his teeth in a grin which she returned with a frown.

A sharp bend in the path brought them to a flight of makeshift stairs that wound back and forth through closely-knit trees. It was a convenient way up and down the mountain's steep slope and would have been formed by pokemon living in the mountains centuries ago. Now the steps were heavily worn and some of them were almost completely flat or crumbling. The trees thinned out, giving them a fantastic view of the village.

Or it would have been fantastic were it not for the damage. Pixel's stomach tangled into knots and she pressed a paw to her chest. The net of black cracks she'd seen from higher up were less of a net and more of a disaster at this angle. They ran through buildings, warping them where they touched, or destroying chunks of brick and stone entirely. One of the taller buildings stood at a dramatic angle, held up only by the remains of a smaller, less fortunate house. The antennae still flashed in the middle of the village, but its frame was drastically warped.

"How has this happened?" she gasped, breaking into a trot to descend the rest of the way towards the houses.

"I don't know," said Switch. "I had no idea those cracks could do this."  
"Me neither. I know they're responsible for missing pokemon, but this?! Pokemon might be injured in there!"  
Her paws screeched on the floor as she skidded to a halt. A large pokemon moved beyond the rubble but it wasn't one she'd seen before. Its body was green and dripped slime, and its size wasn't dissimilar to a tyranitar. It raised its bulbous head to look in her direction, one of its eyes stuck shut beneath a mound of goo.

"Pixel?" Switch's hand fastened around her small shoulder. "I think we need to leave. Now."

Her eyes moved from the monstrous mass to one of the houses. Beyond the window lay two pokemon, one of which was nothing more than a mound of red spikes sticking out of a green, scaly body. "This place... it's..."

"Contaminated. Move."

Switch tugged her backwards as the giant, slimy pokemon opened its large mouth and let out a low, rumbling growl. A long tentacle whipped out from its body and lashed the ground beneath her feet. Her eyes were trained on that tentacle as it withdrew it for another lash as something exploded above her head. Rubble rained down upon them and she raised her paws to shield herself from the sharp blows. Another tentacle snapped back into the monster's body as it raised the first one to whip at them again. Her breath shot from her throat as the tentacle fastened around her ankle and snatched her towards it. Its mouth opened in a deafening roar, and a large club-like mound stretched from its body and dropped towards her. She screwed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact, but it never came. Her ankle was released and the ground shook as the bulbous pokemon screamed in what she could only describe as agony.

"Pixel! Move, now!"

That wasn't Switch's voice. She forced her eyes open. That massive mound of green was writhing, distorted behind a wall of shimmering light. It tried to raise a foot, but long tendrils fastened it to the floor. Rooted. That thing couldn't even move.

Vector's blue eyes fastened onto hers and he flashed his canines in a snarl.

"I said move!"

His paw fastened around her arm and dragged her to her feet, tugging her after him. He paused beside Switch who was struggling to remove his leg from beneath a pile of rubble.

"About time you showed up," he said to the meowstic.

Vector snarled and kicked out at the pile of rocks. The mound exploded into gravel, allowing the human to pull himself free. He limped after them, glancing back at the writhing green pokemon.

"This virus doesn't make any sense," he said. "What on earth is that thing meant to be?"

"A mess!" Vector barked. "Like the rest of the world! The virus and those cracks corrupt and destroy whatever they touch!"

Nausea flowed through Pixel's body and her feet faltered as strength left her legs. Vector glanced back at her. If it weren't for his grip on her wrist she would have fallen flat onto the ground.

"That thing touched me," she stammered.

"Worry about it later and keep running!" snapped Vector. "I want to get us out of its reach!"

His voice sounded miles away. Switch said something but she couldn't pick it out of the thrumming in her ears. Her legs weren't obeying her. It was taking over already. Turning her into stone, or lead. Or rooting her to the spot like that writhing mass. A pile of spikes like the poor pokemon behind that window. Everything felt stiff, unruly, like it was developing a mind of its own.

Vector brought her to a stop and turned towards her, dropping to all fours as he pawed at her ankle.

"It touched me," she gasped.

"I know." He stood upright and placed a paw under her chin, raising her eyes to his. He faded in and out of focus, but she could see the concern plain on his face. His eyes trailed down her arms and he turned her away from him, checking over her back, horn, shoulders, legs.

"Is she alright?" Switch asked.

Vector released her and broke into a fit of coughs. "Go sit down!" he spat out. She heard him shake his head sharply then return to checking over her shoulders. "You need to take your weight off that ankle before it swells up like a watmel berry."

Switch surprisingly obeyed without retort.

Pixel found herself turned around until she was eye to eye with Vector. He reached up with a paw and brushed one of the long strands of fur back from her face, but that look of concern didn't leave his eyes.

"I think you're okay," he said. "I can't see anything."

Her eyes trailed down to his lips, landing on a trickle of red leaving a trail over his white fur. She reached out and wiped it away with her thumb.

"I wish I could say the same for you," she said.

He pushed her paw away and turned from her. "I'm fine." He looked over at Switch and eyed his ankle, which the human was currently cradling in his hands. "How's your leg?"

Switch shrugged. "Not broken." He narrowed his eyes at Vector. "Explain to me how you blew up rocks with a kick?"  
Vector waved him off with a paw. "Counter. It's more versatile than you think."

"Doesn't it just deal back double damage?"

"Yes. And kicking a brick hurts." Vector nodded towards the mountain's face. "Can you fit in that cave, human?"

Switch limped over to the opening in the wall and made a thoughtful noise. He squeezed himself between it and let out a long whistle. "It's roomy in here!"

"Good." Vector ushered Pixel towards the cave.

She craned her neck to look back at him. "Why are we-"

"You need rest," Vector said plainly. "That virus might not be showing now but we need to wait it out."

Pixel's violet eyes opened wide. "You think I might..."

Her voice trailed off but Vector said nothing. He gave her an encouraging push towards the cave mouth and followed her inside. Fatigue washed over her as she began to feel weak again and she curled up on the floor a few feet away from Switch. If she were infected, she didn't want to risk giving it to him, even if he claimed humans couldn't catch it. At the first sign she was infected she was leaving him and Vector well and truly alone.

Alone... she wouldn't even be able to go back to Cyan Island.

The thought pained her more and more with every face she would never see again. She screwed her eyes shut to hold back tears and pulled her knees up to her chest. But it was too late. Her body shook with repressed sobs and the fatigue left her too weak to hold them back. Despite her two friends sitting in the same cave, she felt cold and alone. Isolated. The feeling followed her into a hollow, unwelcoming dream.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	21. Guilt and Promises

**A/N - I'm terribly sorry! I uploaded the next chapter by mistake! If you got an alert for 'A Human Problem' please ignore it. This is today's chapter. I've not proofed it as I was in such a rush to fix the mistake...**

 **As I'd said in that one, the hiatus is over now. I just felt the need to write something lighter while I recovered.**

20 – Guilt and Promises

The N00b Mobile's engine purred softly before breaking into another sputter attack. N00b scratched at his ear as he let out a groan, then hopped from the driver's seat to duck back beneath the bonnet, trying to pinpoint the source of the problem while desperately denying he needed a stronger engine.

"Still can't get it workin', hey?"

N00b pushed back his goggles and looked over his shoulder at the drilbur walking over to him, a sun hat hanging down over one eye, holding a plate in one paw and a steaming mug in the other. He set them down on the rickety table that currently held an open tool box and a scattering of loose screws and bolts.

"I brought ye out a wee snack," said the drilbur. "I thought ye could use a break now. You've been at that for over an hour."

"Thank's, Gadget." N00b straightened up and stretched, his back popping loud enough to make the drilbur flinch.

"That can't be good fer ye. Sit." Gadget pulled out a chair and pointed a long claw at the seat. "Have yer cuppa and cake or the missus will give me a good talkin' to if I let ye keep diggin' away at yer machine."

N00b laughed as he fell into the seat and picked up the hot mug in both paws. "I really do appreciate your help. If I hadn't landed in your field I don't know what I'd have done. Tell Mrs Gadget thank you, too."

"Ah. Don't mention it, kid." The drilbur blushed and scratched the back of his head. "It's nothin' really. I got all me tractors and such like I need to maintain. I don't mind helpin' out a nice pup like you get ye strange car back in the air."

N00b mumbled a 'huh' as he took a bite out of his cake which turned out to be pinap berry. It was very refreshing on a hot day like this.

"To be honest," he said, "I think I might have to stay on the ground. That engine just isn't holding up with increased air speed at all."

"Is that gonna be a problem for ye?"

"Well, the N00b Mobile does move a lot faster on the ground, but the roads can be tricky through cities. Plus I need to reach one of the drifting continents. It's kind of an emergency."

Gadget scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well I might have a spare engine I can give ye."

"Really?!" N00b's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. "I don't think I could take it, Gadget. That's much too generous!"

"Ah, pish posh." The drilbur waved a paw at him and chuckled. "It's sat in a dead tractor in me shed. Thing's not worked in months. I dunno how much use it'll be to ya but yer welcome to try it."

"Wow. A tractor engine, huh?" N00b scratched his chin with a claw as he stared at the open bonnet of his little car. "It's got to pull a lot of weight, so it'll be more powerful than the standard racing engine I've used. But would it be able to handle a lot of speed?"

Gadget shrugged. "I dunno. Tractors aint cut out for racin', but it's worth a try, eh?"

"Certainly!" N00b beamed from ear to ear. "If it fails, I might be able to harvest some parts to replace the weaker ones in my current engine."

"Like a gigantic, technical jigsaw." Gadget laughed heartily as he moved away. "I'll go get it fer ya. You enjoy yer cake. Missus will probably be out with another slice soon anyway. She thinks yer a bit on the skinny side."

N00b looked down at himself and shrugged before taking another huge bite out of his cake. Things were looking up. Hopefully that little car would be back in the sky in no time. He glanced over at the drifting continents, spotting the form of Cyan Island gliding smoothly along in the distance. Wherever Leaf was taking it he had no idea, but he was certain it was moving further and further away.

He wiped his paws on his chest and hopped off the seat, grabbing the spanner and ducking back beneath the bonnet. He needed to move fast if he was going to catch up with them.

...

When Pixel opened her eyes again, it was pitch black. The cave was filled with the sounds of breathing and soft snores which seemed louder in the echoey emptiness. A faint dripping sound echoed in the distance – a far off, lonely sound. Her stomach did a flip as she remembered the previous day's events and a long groan came out of her chest as she pulled herself into a ball. She blinked her eyes back open and stared at her paw, waiting for them to adjust in the faint light. It wasn't enough to go by, but it looked just like any other mawile's paw. She felt a wave of relief as she flexed her own claws. Normal. Ordinary.

Something shifted beside her and she looked up into Vector's blue eyes. She could just make out the faint dark markings beneath them showing through his white fur. How long had he been sat there, watching her?

She cleared her throat and rubbed her paw over her eyes. "Haven't you slept?"

He shook his head slowly, but didn't take his eyes off her. It made her feel a little nervous so she diverted her gaze to the wall.

"You really should. You need rest as much as any of us."

"I can't."

She looked back at him, meeting his blue eyes. "What do you mean you can't?"

"What if I take my eyes off you, and something happens to you?" he said. "I'd never forgive myself."

A dry chuckle escaped her throat and she shook her head. "I'm fine. It's been hours now, and I'm the same old mawile I've always been."

He was silent for a moment as he stared down at her, his stare only broken by the occasional blink. "I hate to distress you again, Pixel, but the longest recorded time it's taken the virus to show damage is twenty four hours. I'm taking no chances."

A chill ran down her spine and she diverted her gaze to the wall again. She was speechless. The longest recorded time...

"But that's only in exceptionally rare cases." The doubt was thick in her voice, and her paw curled into the cold, dry ground. Rare occasion or not, she'd been touched by a virus-ridden pokemon. The odds were already stacked against her. "I'm scared." Her voice came out as a whisper.

Vector slumped down onto the ground and her eyes flitted back to meet his. His paw hovered above her shoulder uncertainly then jerked back towards him, resting instead on her paw. Warm and comforting in the cold air of the cave. He took in a long, ragged breath and let it out through his nose.

"If you have caught it, Pixel, I promise I'll do everything in my power to help you." He paused and took in another breath which she thought might have hidden a sob. "Even if I die trying."

She looked up at his face but he was avoiding her eyes, instead watching his paw as he absently trailed a thumb over the back of hers. Why would be be so adamant to help her? He'd already returned the favour he thought he owed them for his breakout. He didn't owe her anything. As far as she was concerned, he never had.

Then there was the incident with the Fracture. His declaration that he was responsible for the outbreak of the virus and cracks.

That was it, wasn't it? He blamed himself. He could no longer look her in the eye.

"It's not your fault, Vector," she said. "I have to admit, I doubted you were telling the truth, and I'm truly sorry. But you shouldn't blame yourself for the virus, you were only trying to help the humans."

He let out a single laugh. "It was a poorly thought-out plan."

"You had their best intentions at heart though, didn't you?" She managed to catch his eye briefly but he still wouldn't look at her. "Switch thinks you only told us all that because you wanted us to stop following you."

"He's right." He sighed. "It's not easy to get close to anyone in this day and age. Not with the virus claiming lives every day."

"I know. I've lost friends myself."

"I lost all my friends when they walked into the Fracture. That's why it's easier if you hate me." His voice cracked and he pulled his paw from hers. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

She reached out and grabbed his paw, holding it fast. He couldn't think like that. A lonely life living in fear of losing loved ones... It would only destroy him. He finally looked at her and a frown creased his face, but it melted away as he looked back into her violet eyes.

"You can't live like that," she said. "Besides, I can't hate you. Especially when you've given me no reason to."

His paw relaxed back on top of hers and he closed his eyes. "Pixel..."

"And I really don't want to be alone right now." Her voice wavered and she clenched her paw against the floor.

His paw tensed around hers, clutching it tightly.

"You're not alone," he said. "I promised I'd help you, and I will."

There wasn't a single note of dishonesty in his voice. That feeling of loneliness was extinguished as she realised he wouldn't just leave her. She didn't even think Switch would abandon her either.

He watched their paws as he brushed a thumb over hers, once again avoiding her eyes.

"You were right, though," he said. "I do blame myself for that virus, and I hate myself for it. I won't let it claim the life of a friend." He paused and his paw tightened as his voice faltered. "It's claimed enough already."

She opened her eyes and stared at the black and white paw clasped over hers. She couldn't help but think there was more of an undertone to those words. More than just his appearance and abilities had been taken. But those thoughts were clouded out of her mind to be replaced by the fog of sleep.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	22. A Human Problem

**A/N -** **I hope you like this one. It might be classed more as filler, really, rather than plot progression, but things pick up again in the next chapter.**

21 – A Human Problem

When Pixel woke up to light streaming into the cave, she was alone. She pushed herself up, checking over her body. Normal. Completely normal. Creamy yellow fur from the neck down. Black feet. Her horn was in the right place. She even ran her paws over her face for good measure.

Normal.

She let out a long sigh of relief. No virus. In retrospect it didn't make sense, but she wasn't going to complain. Despite the odds, she was clean.

At least for now... had it been twenty four hours yet? She pushed herself to her feet and clambered towards the cave mouth. She could hear Switch's voice outside, talking to someone who wasn't talking back. As she poked her head out, her eyes fell on the human leaning against a tree with his pocket computer on his lap. But he didn't appear to be talking to anyone in particular.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not really," he said. "I've got about a billion missed calls off N00b and Connor. I'm trying to decide whether or not to ring them back."

"Why wouldn't you?"

"You've not met Connor," he said. "He'll probably be wanting me back ASAP. I'll end up with an ear full, especially since he's been ringing me endlessly for the past two days. He probably got N00b to call me thinking I was ignoring him. Poor pup."

"It might be important." She wound her long head fur around a paw and looked around them. That destroyed village was just visible through the trees in the distance, which still felt too close for comfort. There was no sign of Vector anywhere.

"Neither of them have left a voice message," said Switch. "Or if they have, I can't hear them. Unfortunately my computer's taken a frying from an electrical attack. It's been muted. No ringer, no video sound. I'd be surprised if I could even hear their voice on the other end."

"No text messages?"

"The only ones I have say to 'ring me when you get this'." He scratched his head and sighed. "Not much help. I tried ringing N00b since it's the safer of the two, but I can't even hear a dialling tone. I'll just send him a message telling him my computer's not working properly and to let Connor know he'll hear from me when I get it fixed. I just have to find someone who can do it."

"You might be struggling there."

Switch lowered his computer and looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if this is the case or not, but from what I know, with this virus outbreak, any news that can stir up hysteria will be feeding the media." She paused as she looked back over at the village, trying to spot one of the billboards through the trees. But it was too far away to see anything clearly. "With the trouble we've caused and that feraligatr's threats, our identities might be all over news websites and billboard screens. If we step into any residential areas or cities we might be apprehended."

"We didn't intend to cause trouble," said Switch. "They overreacted when they saw Vector, and not without good reason. That virus is deadly." He paused to look up at her again. "It's good to see you're well, by the way. I have to admit I was rather worried."

"So was I." She hugged herself and looked back at the cave, rubbing her arms as a cold breeze washed over them. "Where is Vector anyway?"

"He went to find breakfast, although he has been gone for about half an hour now. I'd give him a bit longer before we go looking for him."

So he hadn't up and left then, at least it didn't sound like it. She didn't want to doubt him. He'd promised he'd help if she needed it. But she didn't need it, did she? What reason then did he have to stay?

She felt Switch's eyes on her and she turned her head slightly to look at him, receiving a small smile before he looked back at his computer.

"He never left your side you know?" he said. "Not until it turned noon."

"Noon?" Her eyes widened with surprise. "I slept all morning?"

"You clearly needed it."

Pixel gave one last look around at the woods and mountain and joined Switch against his tree. She couldn't help worrying Vector wasn't going to come back, but she couldn't put her claw on why. They could just as easily look for a cure without him. He'd made it clear he'd rather go solo. She'd even begun to resign herself to the idea the previous day.

"I've changed my mind about him," said Switch.

She looked up at him as his words snapped her out of her reverie. "Did you hear our conversation last night?"

"Yeh." He finally slipped his computer back into his cargo pants' pocket. "He's not a bad pokemon. I never thought he was, but I couldn't really work him out. He revealed something about himself that made me want to help him. I'm already dedicating myself to searching for a cure for the virus, but he needs to take onboard his own words to you. _He's_ not alone. I for one won't let him suffer alone."

Suffer? She looked up at him with surprise. "You think he's sick?"

"In an emotional sense. But words alone won't help with this. He needs to see he's not responsible for the virus. It's not going to be just about 'making things right'. Someone else might find the cure first and then what? He'll be crippled with guilt forever? I'm not going to let that happen. I've seen what it can do to people."

With a revelation like that she expected Switch's demeanour to become solemn, but instead he gave her a wink, a grin and a pat on the back.

"What do you say, Pixel? Are you going to wallow with him or help him out of the mud?"

Her brow furrowed as she stared into his smiling face. The pep talk had been for her, hadn't it? She broke into a smile and nodded.

...

Vector hoisted himself up into the branches of the oran tree. The berries were too high up for him to reach, and he didn't have any means to carry them back to the cave. So he'd decided on another method. Break a branch free and carry that back instead. There'd be plenty of berries on it, maybe even enough to stock up with. Pixel had a bag. She wouldn't mind carrying them, he was certain of that.

Pixel...

He steadied himself on his chosen branch to catch his breath. That irritating rattle in his chest made him feel more breathless than the task should have left him. He paused against the trunk for a moment and ran a paw across his brow.

Fortunately she'd been okay. He'd barely slept a wink, and he still kicked himself for nodding off briefly. Anything could have happened to her, but thankfully the virus hadn't shown. He'd waited twenty four hours, then one more for good measure, but she was okay. Miraculously so. He hadn't heard of any other pokemon that were immune to it. Maybe that monstrous blob wasn't a pokemon after all. Just another manifestation from the Fracture like those violet-leaking cracks.

Holding on to the branch above, he brought his foot down heavily on the berry-laden branch, deflecting back the collision impact and causing it to splinter at its join in the trunk. Not too much force. He didn't want to shatter the branch into pieces. One more kick sent it plummeting down to the ground below. He let go of his perch and dropped onto all-fours, his muscles complaining with the impact. He dusted his paws down on his fur and grabbed the fallen branch in both paws. Some of the berries had broken free, but that didn't matter. There were still plenty holding on to the spindly twigs.

He tossed it over his shoulder and dragged it after him. It weighed more than he did, and he almost buckled beneath it. As he trudged along the rocky path, that rattle in his chest became a wheeze and he coughed violently into his paw. Great. Now it was sticky with blood. If he left any marks on the branch it would only draw concern from Pixel and Switch. He wasn't in the mood for that. The less they knew, the better. He wiped it onto the grass and adjusted the branch, lugging the heavy mass behind him.

He was shattered now. Hopefully some oran berries would perk him up before he collapsed from exhaustion.

...

Pixel's ears pricked up as something came trudging up the path. It sounded like something heavy was being dragged over the rocks, and her mouth broke into a smile when she spotted Vector moving towards them, doubled beneath a large branch. Her smile quickly fell when she saw the strained look on his face, and she leapt to her feet to help him.

"That looks like it weighs a ton!" she gasped as she reached for the branch.

He wafted her paw away and slumped past her. "It's fine. I'm almost there now anyway."  
"Really, Vector," said Switch. "If you were going to bring a whole branch back I would have gone myself."

He took the berry-laden limb from his grip effortlessly, but the meowstic didn't retaliate. He clenched his teeth together and stumbled towards the cave wall where he slid down against it with a groan.

"I told you he'd be back," said Switch.

Pixel looked up at his smiling face and found a handful of berries offered to her. She took them in her arms gratefully and trotted over to join Vector by the wall. Before she could offer him any, a small branch filled with them was plonked in his lap before Switch fell heavily down beside him with a happy sigh.

"Thanks for this," he said. "I've grown to love berries straight off the tree during my time here."

"Must be the talonflame in you," said Vector bluntly. He popped a couple of berries in his mouth, closed his eyes and leant back against the stone slope.

Pixel looked up at Switch and swallowed her mouthful. "Did you eat berries back in your world?"

Switch shrugged. "Occasionally. We still had them there. I'm guessing we still do. Although we normally bought them from shops, and had to wash them to get rid of pesticides. They weren't always as fresh either."

"Pesticides?" She stared quizzically down at the plump berry in her paw.

"Yes. Poisons, to put it bluntly." Switch paused as he thought this over, a worried look on his face. "Unfortunately farmers aren't very keen on spinarak and caterpie munching on their crops."

Vector grunted and opened one eye, fixing it on Switch. "So humans kill pokemon back in your world?"

"Not all of them. Some of us prefer a vegetarian diet and buy organic."

"Vegetarian, huh? I guess 'us' includes you then?" Vector popped another berry in his mouth and kept one eye on Switch until he nodded. Satisfied with his answer, he closed his eye again and adjusted himself against the steep slope. "I guess it's good for us most of the humans are in comas then, eh? If they were awake craving meat, I dread to imagine the massacre."

"Seriously!" Switch stared down at him, but the meowstic didn't so much as flinch. "Back where I'm from, a lot of pokemon are carnivores. Including your kind. You can't hold it against humans."

"Well we're not in your world are we? We have a different lifestyle here. All the dried meat you find in the stores is artificial. Vegetable protein. There's no snacking on live meat here, human. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

"I actually did," said Switch. "I remember Connor's disgust when he tried some only to find out it wasn't real meat. It added to his desperation to get back home."

Pixel looked away from him and stared down at the berry in her paws, her mouth slightly open. Somehow she'd lost her appetite. Not once had she thought humans would have posed more of a threat than mere overpopulation. There was another piece of information she'd hope would never get out. It would just add more fuel to the fire.

"I'd keep that information under your hat," she said. "Otherwise I dread to think what the reaction would be."

Switch was silent for a moment as he rolled his remaining berry around in his hands. "So do I. But I can assure you, I myself am a plant eater."

"I wouldn't say that to a bellsprout," said Vector.

Switch laughed, stuffed the berry into his pocket and stood up. "Shall we get a move on?"

Pixel looked up at him. "Where are you thinking?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. But if we can clear enough of these cracks we might be able to put some distance behind us. Get out of the zone of any potential SWAT attacks and make sure we're well out of the way of Central Meta's soldiers."

Vector opened his eyes and looked at each of them, then sighed. He pushed himself to his feet and snapped several of the remaining berries free from the branch, then handed them to Pixel. She popped them into her bag without much thought, along with some more that had rolled aside and fastened it shut. It was near to bursting now and she had to adjust it over her shoulder. When she next looked up at her two friends, Vector was approaching the cracks, reaching out with a paw and making each one he touched vanish with a snap, leaving a clear path all the way up to the sky.

"I've actually been thinking," said Switch, "that if we fly all the way around System, you might actually be able to get rid of most these things before they multiply too much."

"That's not a bad idea," said Pixel with a smile. "It would reduce the risk a lot!"

"Yeh." Switch folded his hands behind his head and beamed. "It'd take a while, but you might even be able to get rid of all of them, over time."

"You'd think." Vector's voice still had that snippy edge, but it sounded weaker than normal. He hesitated with his paw over one of the cracks, the violet light tinting his white fur.

Something was wrong.

Pixel took a step forwards just as his paw lowered towards it. Another snap.

Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he crumpled to the floor.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	23. A New Mystery

**A/N - Hmm, if I commit myself to writing every day I should hopefully have this fic finished before November. I'm already getting ideas for a new fanfiction lol, and one of the main characters is a Stuffle. I'll probably start it after Sun and Moon comes out =D Those new games look brill, although I've been avoiding spoilers for new Pokemon (well, most of them) and plot! I trust you're all excited too?!**

22 – A New Mystery

The lights along N00b's dashboard flashed into life at the turn of the key while the engine purred away, sending small vibrations through the little car. A grin split the lillipup's face, widening until he threw his paws into the air with a cheer.

Gadget clapped his heavy paws together and nodded, almost sending the sun hat tumbling from his head.

"Well done!" he said. "Glad t'see ye got it runnin', 'ey?"

N00b gave him a thumb's up and leapt from the car to the open bonnet, peering in at the engine. The smell of warm oil reached his nostrils instantly. Not a surprise since he'd had to refill it. The engine was bigger with the new parts attached to it. Surprisingly he'd even been able to find space for the battery charger bed he'd installed after Vector's suggestion. It had been a challenge, certainly, but it looked every bit as sturdy as he hoped it would. With the added power from the tractor, it should cope better under the strain of the new modifications, allowing him to reach the same speed he could on land in the sky.

On paper, anyway.

He hopped back into the driver's seat with some apprehension and gave Gadget's look of concern a reassuring smile.

"Now to test it out!"

"Ye don't want any cake first?"

N00b shook his head. "No, thank you. If this works, I really need to get going. I've lost valuable time as it is."

"Well, it's been lovely t'have ye! I'm sure the missus will agree."

"Of course!" came Mrs Gadget's voice from the shack. "Be sure you visit us, 'ey?!"

N00b chuckled into his paw. "Of course, Mrs G! Thanks for everything!"

Gadget leant over the door of the car and took N00b's oily paw in his, giving it a firm shake. "Fly safely, little guy!"

"I will. Thanks again."

Gadget stood back as the car turned around, facing towards the far end of the field. N00b pressed down on the accelerator, picking up speed as it lurched forwards. A pull of the joystick leant the vehicle backwards as the wings popped out, pushing the car into the air as the current caught beneath the hollow wings. He took a u-turn back over the farm and waved down to Gadget below. Both of the drilbur were standing in the field, waving merrily at him.

"Now comes the tricky part," he muttered to himself. He flexed a paw over the gear stick and pushed it slowly forwards. The engine roared as the car shot forwards, a streak in the sky to anyone who would be watching below.

Then it settled into a purring drone. A sigh of relief escaped his lips and he gave a silent cheer as he relaxed in his seat. He'd be at Cyan Island in no time.

And hopefully not too late.

...

Luma Island's lush green grass and miniature mountain was a sight to behold under any other circumstances. At that present time, Pixel's mind was fixated on the unconscious meowstic in Switch's talons. It had been the closest place to them that would provide a safe place to land. Cyan Island was drifting along a good ninety or so miles away. Luma Island had only been a three hour flight with very few cracks to dodge along the way thanks to the path Vector had cleared for them.

A winged form streaked in front of them, beating a large pair of black and white wings. A staraptor. He fixed his aged eyes on Switch, reflecting a glimmer of recognition, then eyed Pixel astride his back and the meowstic in his claws. His face fell then and his beak dropped open to speak before Switch cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Boost," he said. "He's not infected. I wouldn't bring an infected pokemon up here, you should know that."

"I'm afraid I don't," the staraptor said bluntly. "But I suppose you're right. I should have more faith in you. Come on board."

Switch dropped like an arrow after the other bird pokemon, levelling out over the beautiful meadow and releasing Vector gently onto the ground. He allowed Pixel to dismount before he returned to his human form. Boost didn't look remotely phased by the change. He was more interested in Vector, keeping a safe distance and one eye on the fallen pokemon while assaulting Switch with questions.

"So what's happened to him? Is he sick? Wounded?"

"Fainted," said Switch. "I'd love to explain everything, but this isn't the first time it's happened. I think he needs help."

Pixel pressed her paws to her chest. Those words again. He'd said them just before they left the mountain. Just before he refused to fly back to Cyan Island. The distance was too much. There was too much risk they'd be found. He wanted to take him to some friends. Pokemon he had faith would be able to help.

They were words that made her anxious that this was much more dire than she'd first thought.

"What makes you think it's anything serious?" Boost hopped towards Vector and lifted one of his paws in his talons. "He's alive at least. I've never seen a meowstic this colour before."

"That's why we think he needs help," said Switch. "I think he's keeping something from us."

"Keeping something from us?" she gasped. "Like what?"

Switch just gave her a sideways glance then scooped Vector up in his arms. "Is Circuit still about?"

"She is," said Boost. "In the control room as normal. Although she's sure to have seen you land. She might be here in a- eep!"

The staraptop leapt back as a jolt of electricity danced across the grass. It fizzled away to reveal a jolteon, her eyes narrowed into black slits and every quill stiffened into a dangerous, sparking point. She took a step towards Switch and flashed her canines.

"You!" she hissed. "You have some nerve!"

He shifted Vector onto one arm and raised his free hand. "Really, Circuit, I-"

"Ten years ago," she said slowly, "what did you say? What did you tell me?"

Switch's face creased with confusion and he took a wary step back. Pixel moved with him, bracing herself for an electrical assault.

"You said you'd come and visit!" The jolteon's fur relaxed and she sat down heavily, her snarl turning into a warm smile. "After this long, if you'd given me a heads up, I would have thrown a welcome party!"

Pixel couldn't believe it. Her jaw almost hit the floor.

Switch's body slumped with a sigh of relief. "Come on, Circuit. You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

She chuckled and turned her eyes on Pixel. "What have we here? You've brought friends?" Her eyes widened when they trailed up to Vector but her reaction surprised both Pixel and Switch as she stood up to move over to him. "What's happened to him? He looks lifeless! And he's _white_!"

"I can explain everything, just-"

"You certainly can! Come with me." The jolteon turned and power-walked away from them at such a speed they had to trot to keep up. She looked back at them over her shoulder as she waded through the long grass. "I trust he's clean? I wouldn't for one minute think you'd bring the virus up here."

"Oh, he's clean," said Switch. "If he wasn't, Pixel would be a walking cactus."

Pixel looked up at him with a frown and received a wink in return. Well... during a time like this she guessed you needed to add a little humour.

..

Pixel stepped out of the small room after being interrogated by every question the linoone could possibly ask her. She hadn't quite grabbed his name he'd spoken so quickly. He'd wanted to know everything about Vector that she had to offer, from his time at the hospital, the incidents that had resulted in his colouration, the events leading up to his fainting on both occasions. He'd even asked for the contact details for anyone who would be able to provide any information. He appeared to be cross referencing their stories, and when she'd explained she couldn't contact Leaf because her head set had broken, he took it from her and said they'd get it fixed.

So at least this island wasn't an enemy.

When she entered the sitting room, Switch looked up at her from his spot by the window. "How did it go?"

She sighed and flopped down into the sofa. "I think Leaf is going to be rather bitter about me giving out his contact details to another drifting continent."

"It's for the best, though. I had to give them N00b's number."

"I hardly think he'd mind."

He let out a dry chuckle.

"Do they know how Vector is?" she asked.

"Not really. They think it might be low blood pressure, probably brought on by not eating properly and refusing to sleep."

"What do you think?"

"I think he ate a lot of oran berries, which blows the first theory out of the water."

"Then maybe it's just exhaustion. He didn't sleep at all last night."

"Maybe." Switch pulled his computer out of his pocket and toyed with it. Pixel doubted he was even paying it much attention. It wasn't making any noise, so it was clearly still broken. "Say, Pixel... I have a question."

"Go on?"

"Has Vector at any point even confirmed he's actually a meowstic?"

She raised an eyebrow slowly as she tried to work out the meaning behind his question. "What are you getting at?"

"Well he might look like a meowstic, minus the colouration. But Connor looks exactly like a pikachu."

"Are you saying you think he's human?"

"I really don't know. I'm just trying to work out the reason behind his fainting spells. It's the second one he's had and it's certainly not minor, and across System hundreds of humans are lying in comas. I'm one of two who can switch forms. What if he's... sort of in between being in a coma and being up and about?"

Pixel rubbed her paws together and looked back at the closed door she'd just come out of. "I don't know..."

"Let's face it. He didn't have a chip on him when the doctor's found him. They gave him their own. He got struck by the explosion at the Fracture and is clean of the virus."

"But it did something to him! He said it changed his appearance!"

"Come on, Pixel. I'm clutching at straws here!"

She eyed him for a moment, looking for any hint he believed a word he was saying, but he wouldn't meet her eye, instead jabbing at the silent computer on his knee.

"You're worried about him," she said.

"Of course I'm worried about him. He might be stubborn and short tempered, but he's a friend. A friend who's lying unconscious, appears to be very unhappy and has coughed up blood on more than one occasion!"

She could have put the unhappiness down to his situation, but she'd assumed the coughing had been a result of attacks or allergies. Add that to him turning himself in at the hospital, his frantic need to find a cure. Maybe things were much worse than they'd thought. Switch couldn't be right, could he?

She grit her teeth together and looked down at her paws. "Well I for one don't think he's human. He's had the virus for one thing."

"And allegedly recovered from it when no one else has. He might be living proof it effects humans. He might be proof of _how_ it effects humans."

"No! I don't buy it! _He's not human_!"

At some point she'd leapt from her seat, and stood breathing heavily with her paws balled into fists. Switch stared at her, eyes wide with his mouth agape.

"What's _wrong_ with you?" he asked.

"What's _wrong_ with me? I've lost friends and family over the past month! If you're right, then when they find a way to send you back home you'll _both_ leave!"

She screwed her eyes shut to hold back tears and bolted from the room. The second she sprinted outside, embarrassment hit her harder than the cold wind whipped up from the sea.

...

Retro floated along inside a bubble of pink light. Amp and X floated after her, each inside their own bubble, the pair of them oddly silent as though they feared their voices would draw attention. That wasn't something Retro wanted.

The bubbles served as good protection not only from the hot and humid air of the jungle but also from the virus. One thing she'd noticed was that the bubbles couldn't be penetrated, not even by the black cracks. They seemed solid when the pink light came into contact with them, but a toss of a stone showed her they were not. The stones either went through the cracks, or were consumed entirely. One thing she hadn't noticed before, however, was that anything that the cracks touched seemed to steam. The steam, she noted, was some kind of binary code.

On her computer screen it had appeared to be just that. But on closer inspection, the zeros and ones were interspersed with other symbols. signs. Exclamation points. Asterix and question marks. Capital letters. Ampersands. Percentage symbols. Hash tags. Changing as it rose up from the ground to vanish a foot or so away from the object it was leaking from. Whatever it was, she didn't recognise it. All she could say was it wasn't normal.

The Binary Jungle had got its name because during a hot spell, the steam resembled binary code. Clean. Just zeros and ones rising into the sky to vanish long before they reached the clouds. This... _corrupted_ code – corrupted was the best word she could thing of – it behaved differently. It didn't wave like the steam did. And it lead a trail along everywhere the black cracks had formally laid.

She looked down at her map again. A map she'd been detailing for those strange cracks. They'd increased in number over time, and now a large path of them had gone, ending in that odd patch she'd seen on her computer monitor.

Long, berry-laden vines parted as her bubble pushed through them and she looked up from her map. It fell from her paws as they went slack, resting across her lap like a blanket. Viewing the scene through a security camera hadn't prepared her for this. Lying before them was a sight like she had never seen before.

Eggs. Hundreds and hundreds of eggs, their patterns showing their species clearly. Each one was different, and each one was without a parent – all grouped together as though they'd been dumped, abandoned to die on their own long before they hatched.

The corrupted code flowed from those eggs so thickly she wondered if she could touch it. But of course, she knew that was impossible. She'd floated through enough of it on their journey. It was like a mist. But this above those eggs was like a dense fog. A dense fog of chaos. Symbols changing, babbling silent nonsense.

"Well, they certainly look different close up than on a computer screen!" said X.

"We were right! They _are_ eggs!" Amp exclaimed.

"That's x-actly what they are. But the real question is – what are they doing out here? It's egg-streamly … "

"Don't!" said Amp. "Now is not the time for your puns!"

"He's right," said Retro. "I don't know what to do about this. They're babies... yet... I don't know whether or not we should leave them."

"We leave them!" said Amp. "We leave them well alone! You saw what happened to G and K!"

"They didn't touch eggs, Amp. They touched the cracks."

"Yes, and now they're sick," said X. "Those eggs might cause the eggs-act same thing!"

Despite the unown's ill-timed humour, she couldn't help but think he was right. Something was definitely amiss. Those eggs shouldn't be there. Not in the centre of the jungle. There wasn't so much as a village in sight. No parent would just abandon their eggs in the jungle, especially not en-mass.

She picked up her map again and scrawled down its location. A lumpy drawing amongst the clearing.

"Let's head back," she said. "Then we can-"

"Look out!" Amp's bubble crashed into hers, sending them both through the vines.

She opened her mouth to berate him just as an explosion shook the trees. Shards of thick shell snipped the vines free of their branches, sending them down on top of them like streamers. Her ears were ringing, but she thought she could hear a shrill scream just before another explosion shook the jungle.

An explosion quite different to the first. This one splattered the trees with red.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	24. I Hope You Like Adventure

**A/N - Small delay, I'm sorry!**

 **Thanks to all reviews, faves, reads and follows! =D**

23 – I Hope You Like Adventure

The scenery below this drifting continent was alien. Miles of countryside, so far out from Meta City that Pixel had only seen pictures of it. The only city she could see now sat on the coast line, small ships docked at the bay as cranes moved back and forth lifting heavy crates and replacing them with new ones. The Backbone Mountain was the only familiar thing to her, crouching on the horizon as it ran its trail towards the centre of System. Directly below them, she could see the ocean washing over sandy shores in a frothy wave and lapping up against cliff faces. Atop those cliffs were houses that she guessed had a spectacular view. Possibly expensive, with their verandas and patios. The terrible thought that they might be vacated – condemned – sent a chill down her spine, and she tore her eyes away to the fields instead. Fields filled with yellow corn and vibrant berry orchards. Tiny villages perched between them, each one unknown to her. The only familiar thing about them was the uniform antennae blinking away in the centre of each one. Familiar only because every city or town or village needed one to stay in the communication grid.

Isolated. That was how she felt. Isolated and embarrassed.

What had brought that outburst on? It was common knowledge the humans wanted to go back home. Whether or not it was plausible was another thing entirely. Twelve years they'd been trapped here, brought in by some unknown means triggered by an explosion. Nothing had been able to replicate it.

Truth be told, no one had wanted to try something on a similar scale for fear of the damage it might cause. And not just building rubble either. There was always the potential risk another portal would create another Fracture, and one was more than enough.

She hadn't noticed the heavy footsteps over the grass. By the time she became aware of them, a large figure plopped down beside her with a heavy sigh. She started slightly, stifling a yell of surprise and looked up at Switch. He gave her a small smile and looked back down at the world below.

"Quite a sight, huh?" he said.

She nodded and followed his gaze. "Although, to be honest, I've no idea where I am."

"See that there?" He pointed at the city on the bay. "That's Wave City. I'm guessing you've heard of it?"

"Yes. That's where all the produce from overseas comes from. I guessed it was that, but I wasn't sure. I've never been this far out before."

Switch chuckled and leant back on his hands. "I went there a lot when I lived up here."

Up here. Ten years ago, Circuit had said. He'd probably seen a lot of System over those years, free to fly wherever. So much had changed in the past few weeks with the virus and the cracks, leaving System almost unrecognisable. They sat in silence, watching the waves wash back and forth as Luma Island drifted further away from Wave City. Where to, she had no idea.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have blown up like that."

He waved a hand and laughed. "Don't worry about it. I understand."

"You do?"

"Of course. You made it pretty clear, Pixel. When they succeed in finding a way to send us back, we'll be in completely different worlds. It's not like I could send you an email or anything, is it? Anyone would have reason to be upset at that."

She looked up at him then, inclining her head on one side. "Even you?"

"Yeh. It's something that's crossed my mind more than once." He edged closer to her and dropped his voice so it wasn't much more than a whisper. "Can I tell you something?" When she nodded, he went on. "I have no intention of going back."

"What?!" Her eyes shot wide open and she raised a paw to her mouth, glancing around before she continued at a quieter volume. "Are you serious? What about your family and friends?"

He shrugged. "Sure, I'd like to see them again. But let's face it. It's been twelve years. When I came here, I was only fifteen. That's almost half my life I've spent in your world. I've made friends here. More friends than I had back home. If there was a way to go back and forth between this world and the human world, I would do it. But I'd be heartbroken to leave all my friends behind to go back to an old life I've almost forgotten about." He waved an arm at the ocean and smiled. "Besides. I've not seen what's out there yet. I've seen most of System, but what's out there? Where do those ships come from, and where do they go?"

"The Analog Islands," she said. "Zener, Wafer, Abrasion, Tubular. To name a few."

He chuckled again and relaxed back on the grass. "Well, I'd love to see them one day."

"Maybe you will, when all this is over."

"Do you see an end to it?"

She shrugged and joined him lying on the grass. "Vector can erase those cracks. That's a small glimmer of hope right there."

When Switch just made a grunt of a reply, she turned her head to look at him. His eyes were closed, arms tucked beneath his head.

"How is he?" she asked.

"Still unconscious, but Circuit says he appears to be merely sleeping. Apparently he talks occasionally, but they can't work out what he's saying. He sounds panicked, but that's all she can say on the matter."

"Did she say if she thinks he's sick?"

"She hasn't a clue. She said his chest sounded strange, like he had asthma or pneumonia. She gave him some belue berry extract in an IV and said things sounded a bit clearer, so it's something respiratory. Hopefully it'll clear up whatever has been causing him trouble."

She looked back up at the sky, feeling a small sense of relief that the meowstic might be on the mend. But something was still bothering her. Switch might not want to go back to his world, sure, but she was convinced many other humans still did.

"Do you still think he might be human?" she asked tentatively.

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes flickering open as he looked up at the clouds. "Do you think it's possible the virus will work in two completely different ways?"

"It might have mutated," she said. "He was the first to get hit with it, right?"

"Theoretically. We don't know that for certain."

"And if he does have it, wouldn't you have caught it by now?"

"Maybe it's not contagious from human to human... which makes it even more baffling, and kind of blows a hole in my theory." He rubbed a hand across his face and sighed. "To be honest, Pixel, I think part of me _hopes_ he's human. Simply because I don't want another puzzle to solve."

...

The wheels of the little bullet car had barely touched the ground when N00b leapt out over the door and skittered through the long grass. It came to a halt against a tree and he grimaced at the unhealthy crunch that came from the thick wood. The car was fine, but one of the lower branches lay torn free on the ground, wrenched from its place by the rounded nose of his beloved car.

He muttered an apology to the tree and ducked his head, making a beeline for the island's ruin. The door needed a card key to open it, so his only way inside was via the intercom staring at him from the stone wall. He placed his paws on the door and let out a small whine at the delay in his mission, before finally nudging the buzzer with his nose. It crackled into life with a few mechanical rings before a voice marred by static asked for his identity.

"Come on, Leaf!" he yapped. "It's me, N00b!"

"N00b?" the voice asked. "What are you doing back up here? I thought you left to go back to-"

"I know, I know I did! I came back because there's trouble. Big trouble!"

There was a small pause before Leaf replied, "I don't see any trouble. Just your car and a wounded tree. Nybble and Byte aren't amused, by the way. They liked to have their lunch on that branch."

"Then I'll fasten it back up there with some wire. Please, let me in! I need to speak to you. It's urgent!"

If Leaf sighed, it came out as a long, windy crackle that made N00b think he'd lost connection, or the ivysaur had hung up. But the static fuzz was followed by a quick, "Come in!" and the door buzzed loudly as it slid open.

N00b scurried inside and bounded down the spiral stairs, flinching under the flickering light. Maybe he'd change the bulb while he was here, or it was a loose wire that needed tightening. There was no time to worry about that now though.

The control room door hissed open as he reached it, and he was warmly welcomed by three disgruntled faces. He skidded to a halt and looked at each one in turn, and his ears and tail drooped.

"Look, I'm sorry about the tree, okay?" he said.

"Forget the tree." Leaf turned in his swivel chair to look back at his computer. "What is it that brings you back, N00b? This 'urgent' news?"

"It's the doctors." said N00b. "The ones that had Vector. A gallade showed up in my garage with that exploud and wartortle and threatened me. He wanted my car."

"And that concerns us why?"

"Because he knows it can fly! Why else would they need a car that flies?"

Leaf looked back at him, but his disgruntled expression was replaced by one of surprise and concern. The two emolga looked from him to N00b with matching expressions of anxiety.

"They've been up here already, Leaf," said N00b. "If they think Vector's still up here-"

"We destroyed his tracker chip," said Leaf.

"Exactly! They can't track him, so they'll come looking for any pokemon that can track him down. Your island has gone rogue. I know I did it so you could get away, but if they want to get here then they'll try! I think you need to resort to your original plan. Get off, take to the ground and leave this place unmanned. Lock everything, hide all your private data and run."

"We've backed everything up already, not to mention all data is password protected," said Leaf. "It's a bit of a pain. I thought we'd be safe now we're away from Meta City."

Well right now it's either leave or face that gallade and his goons, and up here you're not exactly in any fit state to defend yourself. You saw what happened last time! Thing is, it'll be an even match now, and they don't look weak, Leaf! They'll be prepared for any spore attacks off you now they know what to expect, too!"

Leaf snorted through his nose and looked over his shoulder at his computer screen. For the first time, N00b noticed he was watching a map. It was hardly a surprise since they were floating over unfamiliar territory, but he couldn't help wondering if they had a destination in mind.

"Are we leaving the island?" Nybble asked as she clasped her paws beneath her chin.

"If what N00b says is true, then we might have to."

"Oh come on," said Byte. "I can take that wartortle, and so can Nybble."

"They're of a higher status than us," said Leaf. "We've taken a risk fighting them once already. I don't plan to spend my better years behind the walls of Meta Prison." He looked back at N00b and lowered his headphones around his neck. "I don't suppose you've any idea why I can't get hold of Pixel have you?"

N00b shook his head. "Nope. None at all."

Leaf sighed and fiddled with his headphone wire. "Then if she's still with Switch, can you get hold of him and let them know we're leaving the island?"

"Would love it if I could, but he hasn't been answering me for days now."

Leaf grimaced and tutted loudly. "Fantastic! Well... we don't have much choice, do we?"

He reached over and pulled the plug on his computer, plunging the entire room into darkness. A dim light flickered into the room, making the movements of the other three pokemon strobe as they moved towards the door. N00b followed after them, streaming up the stairs towards the door. The light from outside was almost blinding.

"How are we all going to fit in your car?" Leaf asked.

"Nybble and Byte will have to squeeze together." N00b hopped into the driver's seat and pulled his flight goggles down over his eyes. "I'm warning you though, I have no idea where I'm going. Meta City is out of bounds for us right now. We're gonna be as rogue as your island. I hope you packed a map."

"I didn't have time to pack a map!" Leaf snapped.

"Then we're relying on my GPS. Not a massive problem, just that it's still in beta." N00b gave him a boyish grin and turned on the engine. "I hope you like adventure."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	25. Sunbeams

**A/N - Sorry for the delay. I've had an off week. I'll try to get an update done on Monday before the Sun/Moon demo hits the Japan eShops.**

 **Btw, I wanted to point out there are a fair few Gen 1 easter eggs in this fanfic, be it some of the various glitches or colours used. For example, a less obvious one is the Drifting Continents. Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), and Luma (green/yellow). Luma is the name of the brightness/luminance carried over the green wire on a scart cable.**

24 – Sunbeams

Wherever Vector was, it was bright. Very bright. He screwed his eyes shut and raised his right paw to shield them, but something tugged at his arm, sharp and painful. A loud yelp escaped his throat and he sat upright, bringing his left paw down towards his assailant, but all it struck was metal. It clattered on rickety wheels over a tile surface.

The next time he opened his eyes it was less painful. The large fluorescent bulb in the ceiling had a dull flicker to it that gave the illusion that the walls themselves were pulsing with light. As for his assailant, it lay at an odd angle a few feet away, propped against the wall. An IV stand clutching a plastic bag containing a strange blue substance. It worked its way from the bag down a slender tube that was strapped to his arm with tape. He flashed his canines and grabbed it, wrenching the drip free from his arm. It hurt, but he didn't so much as growl. The sticky blue fluid coated his paw pads and he sniffed at it. The sour smell stung his nose and he shook his paw in disgust. Belue berries. Who would be pumping those into his veins?

Another look around the room told him he was in a small hospital ward. Something else stood on the other side of the bed. It looked like an oxygen machine, and the mask lay discarded on the bed beside him. It had possibly fallen free during his panic and he hadn't even noticed.

A chill ran down his spine as a growing sense of dread rose up inside him, causing him to spring from the bed and stand, tensed, beside it.

"Where am I?" he asked aloud.

It couldn't be Central Meta Hospital. It didn't look like his old room. That room was small, private. This one contained three beds, the other two vacant and bare of sheets. But... they could have found him. He wasn't going to rule it out.

He needed to get out of here and fast.

Before he could reach the double doors, they swung inward, making him leap back a step. A jolteon strode into the room, fixing him with her black eyes. She appeared surprised to see him standing, but not as much as the audino accompanying her who looked about to scream the building down. The jolteon, however, looked from his face to his raised paws and smiled.

"Relax. You're amongst friends here," she said.

Something about her voice didn't reassure him. He refused to lower his paws. He needed them if he was going to deflect one of her attacks.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "And where am I?"

"My name is Circuit," she said. "And this is your nurse, Scanner. You're on Luma Island."

"Luma Island?" He did lower his paws then, but only because the name took him by surprise. Luma Island was one of the three drifting continents, wasn't it? Why would he be all the way up on one of those? His face creased into a snarl and he shook his head and sighed, letting both paws drop beside him. "Switch."

"Yes, he brought you up here," she said. "You were unconscious, but we managed to get you stable. We don't have many doctors left, you see. Fortunately Scanner knows her way around the circulatory system."

The audino was oddly mute, just standing beside the jolteon as she rifled through her papers. He put that down to shock. If he'd come across a pokemon in his condition, he'd be nervous too. It was the same wherever he went. Why the jolteon was so welcoming bewildered him.

"We do have some concerns," she said. "As such we aren't happy to discharge you just yet."

The audino shook her head and finally spoke up in a voice that was oddly high for her size. "When you came in here we tried to find out why you had fallen unconscious. We discovered an odd sound on your chest and hypoxaemia."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Low oxygen levels," explained the jolteon. "Likely from a liquid build up in your lungs."

"Yes, it's quite worrying," said Scanner. "An oxygen drop like that would have resulted in exhaustion and possibly even fainting. We thought it might have been pneumonia so we've been treating it with belue berries."

"You think it's pneumonia?" Vector snorted. "Have you even looked at me?"

Scanner looked rather taken aback, but Circuit just shrugged off his tone like a ducklett would water.

"We're perfectly aware of your condition," she said. "Both Switch and Pixel made it very clear. Your appearance is a result of the virus, and you are oddly clean of it. So much so it makes me wonder if it's left your body entirely. Or is lying dormant, pushed back by another sickness."

"Huh." Their interest in that was rather unsettling. He crossed his arms and frowned. "You're going to want to poke and prod at me like the goons at Central Meta, aren't you?"

"Not at all," said Circuit. "I'd hardly say you were immune to the virus since it's clearly done some damage to you. We're wanting to help you get back on your feet."

"And now I'm on my feet." Vector laughed and moved towards the door, pushing her aside with a paw. "I can tell you one thing though. Belue berries can't fix my problem."

"I'd hardly say that," said the audino.

Vector's paw hovered over the door handle.

"Your breathing has been a lot clearer since we administered that drip," she went on. "I'm not saying they can definitely cure you, but if they can delay whatever is going on so as to give you enough time to -"

He yanked the door open and stepped outside, pausing only to glance back at the two now equally surprised pokemon.

Belue berries couldn't reverse the effects of the virus, but if they could offer some level of help then who was he to complain?

"Fine," he said. "I'll take some."

With that, he let the door close behind him.

...

Pixel's arms brushed over the soft grass as she stretched languidly and yawned. The sun had shifted now, but she still found herself lying in a patch of sunlight.

"You're awake then?"

She looked sharply to her right, and when she spotted Vector sitting back against a tree, her face lit up with a smile.

"Vector!"

She pushed herself up onto her feet, and his eyes didn't leave her, tracking her every movement as she strolled across the grass to join him by the tree. It made her feel slightly nervous, but she hid it behind a smile.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

He took a bite out of a liechi berry and shrugged. "I'm alive aren't I?"

"I guess." She stared down at her paws. She didn't like the fact he was just brushing her off, as though he was covering up something more serious. "I'm glad you are, though. I must admit, I was worried."

"You've got nothing to worry about."

There it was again. She was convinced he put more emphasis on 'you'. If he was remotely perturbed, he didn't show it. He licked the berry juice from his paw and picked up another one from the plate beside him, pausing as he caught her eye.

"I'm sorry, do you want some?" He offered the berry to her and she took it without really thinking about it.

"Have you seen Switch?" she asked.

"He was here a bit ago. He said something about asking a guy called Data to have a look at his computer, then got up and left."

"And neither of you woke me?"

"Why would we? You were asleep." He paused for a moment, his eyes going up to the sky. "I don't understand how you can fall asleep in the sun like that."

"Are you serious?!" She almost dropped her berry into her lap. With a huge grin, she hopped to her feet and grabbed his paw. "It's so relaxing! Come on, you're trying it."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope! Come with me!"

When he didn't budge, she reached behind him and pushed him to his feet, trying to dodge his flailing arms as he desperately tried to keep his balance.

"Get off me, you crazy mawile!"

"No. It's nice! You need to try it!"

They both stumbled forwards into the sun's warm rays, and she flopped onto her bottom in the grass, all the while chuckling. Vector simply stood there, gazing back at the tree. He looked down at her paw as she tapped the floor beside her, then sat down heavily with a sigh.

"So what's the big deal?" he said.

"It's relaxing. Lie down and try it and you'll see!" She fell onto her back and spread her arms at her side. "Just enjoy it for a bit, okay?"

He gave a shrug and flopped onto his back, staring up at the fluffy white clouds. He fastened his paws across his chest and trailed his eyes over the sky, his nose twitching occasionally as the wind wafted over them. She couldn't pick up what he was smelling, but it reminded her of the time her and Retro would lie in the grass outside her house while the wind carried over the smell of freshly baked bread from her mother's bakery.

"I can see why you'd fall asleep," said Vector plainly.

She cast him a sideways glance and narrowed her eyes. "If you say anything about this being boring -"

"No!" He returned her look then closed his eyes and sighed. "That's not what I was going to say at all." He folded his arms behind his head and shimmied down into the grass. "It's peaceful."

A small smile spread across her face and she looked back up at the clouds, crossing her paws on her stomach.

"It's a nice break," she said. "With all the hassle the world is in right now, it's nice to just lie back and forget about it for a while."

"It's an added bonus that the sky above us isn't cracked. It makes it easier to forget."

"Yeh. I wonder why?"

"Stop wondering and forget about it."

She glanced over to him and caught him staring at her through the corner of one eye. A smile spread across his face. She hadn't seen him smile before. It made his whole face light up that she couldn't help but smile back and give a little laugh.

It made her feel warm inside.

"You're right," she said. "Now's not the time."

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she closed her eyes, letting the sun's warmth relax her body and lull her into a gentle sleep. All she was aware of now were the faint voices as the island's inhabitants talked amongst themselves; the breeze as it washed over her, going against the drifting continent's path; the sound of grass rustling near her ears; heavy footsteps as they drew closer to them.

"Well, look at you two." Switch fell down heavily onto the ground beside them.

The both of them were snatched out of their relaxing doze, and Vector fixed the human with a disgruntled eye.

"Oh dear," said Switch with a laugh. "I think I've interrupted nap time."

"Yeh," said Vector slowly. "Maybe you should join us and give it a try?"

The tone in his voice was enough evidence that it was not an invitation. Switch shrugged him off and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pair of pink goggles and Pixel sat bolt upright, her face beaming as she clapped her paws.

"He fixed it?!" she squeaked.

"Yup! Tried and tested. On me," he added when her eyes widened with concern. "Two birds. My computer's fixed too." He flashed his pocket computer then leant back against the tree to try it out.

"So if they're both fixed, we can contact Leaf and you can finally let poor N00b know you're okay!" She shifted so she was facing him and pulled her knees up to her chest. "They're probably both worried sick!"

"I don't doubt it. I've tried to ring N00b but I couldn't get through. I'll try again shortly." He looked up at them both. "The question is where do we go next?"

"We continue looking for a cure," said Vector. "So we go to the most obvious places."

"Obvious? We don't even know what we're looking for."

"Berries."

The meowstic now had both of their undivided attention. Switch's jaw hung open wordlessly. Pixel had no idea what to say.

"Have you known this entire time what you're looking for?" Switch's voice had an air of irritation about it.

"I had an _idea_ of what I was looking for."

"Did you ever think to tell us?"

"Did you ever think to ask?" Vector closed his eyes again and shrugged. "Pokemon use berries to treat everything. I thought it would be fairly obvious? You have lived here twelve years, and you use them yourself! They cure wounds, burns, poison, sleeping sickness. Who's to say there isn't a berry out there that can cure this virus? Maybe hidden away in the unexplored depths of the jungle, or at the bottom of the sea?"

"So you want to go diving?" Switch snorted.

"That's not my first call, no." Vector looked up at him through one eye. "I want to go into the Binary Jungle."

...

"Are we there yet?!" Sample roared as the map blew back in his face once more.

Hertz grimaced as the exploud's voice thrashed his ear drums and clutched on tighter to the rickshaw's reins as yet another precarious paving stone threw the rickety wagon up into the air and back down again. The bouffalant's stumpy tail bobbed up and down before him as he bounded up the hill, puffs of steam shooting from his nostrils with every step. The racket was almost unbearable. It hadn't taken much bribing to get the bouffalant to abandon his position and tow them across System towards the rogue drifting continent. Hertz just hoped it would be worth the pain and travel nausea in the long run.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," said Mono just before another lurch sent her into the air off her seat, almost hitting her head on the wagon's canopy. "But I think there's less cracks in the sky."

"'Correct you?'" said Sample. "You been drinking fermented berry juice or something? Never heard you be so humble before."

The wartortle elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Shut up, Sample, before I throw you off the wagon an' make ya run the rest of the way! I'm sayin' it looks less! Right? Look! Just above the Backbone Mountain!"

Hertz followed her pointing claw to the sky, Sample's incoherent grunt that may have been agreement or surprise barely registering in his mind. He was exhausted, and sore, and was in no situation to take figy berries, but he couldn't help thinking Mono was right. They did look less. A huge patch had been vacated somehow.

A huge patch. It hardly seemed logical that they could just vanish on their own. Not when they'd been appearing thick and heavy over the past few days, taking over System like that wretched virus. It piqued enough curiosity in him to make him want to deviate from his original plan. To go and explore it. To see what had happened.

He gave the reins a tug and the bouffalant faltered, a huge spray of steam shooting from his nostrils as he looked back at him.

"Problem?" he asked.

"Not quite. I think I've changed my destination."

"You're kidding, right?" The bouffalant's yellow eyes unnerved him as they narrowed into slits. "All right, bro. But if it's further afield it's gonna cost ya!"

Hertz waved a paw and shook his head. "I told you, I will pay. Could you take us to the Backbone Mountain?"

"What do I look like? A gogoat?" The bouffalant snorted again and turned his head back with a jerk. "Fine. I'll take you to the mountains, but this rickshaw can't handle such rough terrain and I aint carrying all three of ya!"

His hooves pounded the ground and set the rickshaw off moving again with such a jerk Mono fell from her seat and face-planted the floor. She pushed herself back up with a whine and waved her paw, shouting obscenities.

Hertz tuned her out, relaxing back in his seat while he rubbed at his sore paws. It shouldn't be too long, now. At this speed, they should be there before evening.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	26. Bad Eggs

**A/N - I am so excited for the Sun and Moon demo...**

25 – Bad Eggs

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Circuit asked plaintively.

Pixel was sat with her friends at a dinner table, helping herself to heaped piles of berries, berry toast and cake. There were also steaming bowls of soup, stew and jugs of cool juice amongst them which Vector had tucked into with a vigour that had surprised her.

The jolteon's question had been aimed at Switch, but he was too busy chewing on a toast crust to answer her quite yet.

When he finally swallowed it, he nodded and said, "Yes. We have places we need to be."

"And that doesn't include us?" Circuit asked. "Because we can help, you know."

Burst nodded his head quickly and placed a wing around her shoulders. "I think you know, Switch, that if you need anything all you have to do is ask."

"I don't really want to get you involved in this," said Switch.

"Besides," said Vector without looking up from his next bowl of stew. "If you do want to help, you're better off not sticking with us."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Circuit.

"What he's trying to say," said Pixel before Vector could open his mouth, "is that since we're looking for a cure to this virus, we're better off spreading out rather than sticking together."

"That's not what I was going to say at all," said Vector. "But you can take it if you want."

Circuit's fur stood on end and her canines showed between her lips. Switch reached across and placed a hand on her back.

"He's not being rude. He has a price on his head. You're better off not getting mixed up with us."

"We're already mixed up with you," she said. "And I think I _will_ help you look for a cure. I can send my own team out to scour areas you haven't yet."

"The areas Vector said he wants to search are the Binary Jungle and the ocean," said Pixel. "So our next stop is the jungle."

Vector licked stew off his spoon and gave Circuit and Burst a sideways glance. "You wanna take the ocean?"

Circuit's face split into a smile and she chuckled. "Since we often float above it, we actually have the gear to deal with that."

"Huh." Vector shrugged and spooned more stew into his mouth. "Then be my guest."

"You weren't expecting that, were you?" said Circuit. "So, you can rule that location out. Cogs and Wire will be your underwater eyes, okay?" She nodded to the linoone and a spinda further down the table.

"So when are you leaving?" Burst asked. "My father always said to never fly on a full stomach."

"As soon as the island reaches its furthest northern point." Switch smiled and dabbed sauce from his lip with a napkin. "So I think around twilight?"

"Really?!" Pixel nearly dropped her fork. "We're flying at night?!"

Burst's eyes misted over. "Ahh, night flying."

"You could fly with us if you like?" said Switch.

"I was actually going to offer!" said Burst. "You can't really carry both of them, can you? So I'll take Vector."

Vector choked and spewed gravy from his nose. He shot the staraptor a glare as he wiped it away on the back of his paw.

" _You're_ gonna carry me?"

Burst chuckled and struck the meowstic on the back with a wing. "Don't worry, my boy! I'm quite experienced in carrying other pokemon, being one of few fliers on this island."

"Not to mention the only one left after the virus outbreak," Circuit added.

"Ah." Pixel's face became solemn. "It effected your island too?"

"Not directly," said Circuit. "But those that went onto the ground picked it up. It's claimed over half of our team. We've been extra vigilant since."

Burst shook his head sadly and sighed. "I think everywhere's been affected by it."

Pixel looked over at Switch, still wearing his smile. If it had claimed over half their team, then surely he must have lost some friends? She wondered if he was putting that smile on. Saving face until he managed to get away and have some time alone.

Many pokemon had lost loved ones and family. Unlike them, he like the other humans could rest assured his family was safe back in his own world, but of course he would have lost some friends in this world, especially after spending two years on their island.

The general consensus was that the drifting continents were safe in the sky since the virus seemed to only be contracted on the ground. But it didn't mean the islands wouldn't feel their own losses.

It also didn't mean it couldn't one day reach them.

The faces of various pokemon filled her mind, along with the three she'd been closest to. Retro, Nano, Chip... were they even okay? She didn't even know where they were, and she'd lost so many as it was. She pushed her plate away and climbed down off her seat, muttering a quick thank you as she made a beeline for the door.

It lead out into a corridor that wound its way back towards the lobby. She was familiar with this building now, having been through it twice already today. The whole building served as a communal area for the pokemon here. Cyan Island had nothing like this. She'd thought about suggesting they build one since everyone tried to cram into the control room on a wet day.

The lobby had a sofa in it and a television mounted on the wall, but nobody was sat there. Everyone was still in the dinner hall. She fell back into the plush cushions and wiped suppressed tears away from her eyes, taking in steadying breaths to calm herself. After all the commotion over the past few days with the breakout and finding a cure, she'd forgotten her original goal. To find her friends. Find out if they were okay. The desire to find a cure first and help the world to recover had taken over.

She leant sideways against the arm of the chair and pulled her feet up beneath her, fixing her eyes on the blank, black TV screen. Her mind drifted back to that thought she'd had earlier that day. Of lying in the grass with Retro while her mother baked, the smells wafting from the window to be caught on the breeze. Even Leaf would come running for a slice of berry cake.

Before she knew it, she was back home. Lying on the sofa while her mother sang in the kitchen, waiting for a fresh slice of bread and melted butter.

...

Vector was feeling rather sluggish after that meal, but it was certainly nice to have a full stomach. It felt like he hadn't had one in weeks. He hung a couple of feet behind Switch as they made their way back out into the lobby. Switch had said he was going back to his old tree-house but Vector had no intention of climbing anywhere off the ground. He preferred to be on it, and the idea of lying back and relaxing in the sun's rays before they vanished for the day was at the front of his mind.

And hopefully to be undisturbed this time.

"Huh." Switch stopped in the doorway to the lobby and nodded to the sofa. "That's where she got to."  
Vector peered around his leg and followed his gaze. There was Pixel, curled up in one corner looking small in comparison to the large plush cushions.

"Looks like she fell asleep," said Switch. "I haven't the heart to wake her. Oh well, we've a couple of hours until we need to leave yet."

He tucked his arms behind his head and strolled out of the main door, leaving Vector faltering as he looked from the human to the sofa and back. Switch didn't so much as glance back at him as the doors hissed shut behind him.

Something wasn't right. He'd been fairly certain that Pixel hadn't looked happy when she left the dining hall, but he hadn't wanted to go after her. Well, part of him had, but he'd suppressed it. If she'd not wanted to be alone then why leave?

Regardless, he found his feet moving towards the sofa. He could see her breathing softly, huddled up in a dainty ball of yellow fur and scarf. Peaceful, completely normal, like nothing could ever be wrong. As he pulled himself up onto the sofa and sat watching her, he wondered how anyone could sleep like this knowing what state the world was in. It was only two nights ago he'd watched her fall asleep in a state of distress. She'd cried in her sleep and all he could do was sit and watch her. He'd wanted to hold her, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

He'd been terrified of losing her. It hurt him to know she was in danger from the virus, like every other pokemon in System. Like them, she was also in danger of being hurt from losing someone. He feared she was getting too attached to him, but the risk worked both ways. It hurt so much to push her away, but it hurt even more to leave her. He just couldn't. All he wanted to do now was to curl up next to her, to fall into a peaceful respite and be warm and oblivious to the outside world, to know that she was safe and happy.

His paw reached out to brush back the fur from her eyes, but faltered a mere few millimetres away, claws flexing with uncertainty. He snatched his paw back and slid from the sofa, giving her one final glance before he trotted through the door.

The cool air snapped him out of whatever daze he'd been in and he shook his head so hard his ears beat against his skull.

"Are you all right?" Switch stood leaning against the wall looking down at him, his pocket computer clasped in both hands.

Vector snorted and waved a paw at him. "I'm fine. I thought you were going back to your tree-house?"

"I was, but I finally heard back from N00b."

Switch glanced to his computer as Vector leant back against the wall on the other side of the door. His heart was hammering, still reeling from his close call with Pixel. What had he been thinking? He rubbed his paws over his face and groaned silently.

"You sure you're all right?" Switch asked.

"I told you, I'm fine!"

Switch shrugged and turned back to his computer. "If you say so."

Vector sighed into his paws. If this human was so intuitive, he clearly hadn't picked up that there was something wrong with Pixel earlier. Or maybe he had and felt he didn't need to do anything about it. If that were the case then why keep pestering _him_?

Although... there was a possibility he could actually help him out here.

Vector fixed one blue eye on Switch. "You're male, right?"

Switch almost dropped his computer as his golden eyes snapped onto Vector's. "What?! What kind of question is that?!" He laughed and stuffed his computer back into one of his many pockets. "There really is something wrong, isn't there?"

Vector rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "Look, if you're not gonna help me, then -"

"I'll help you! Man to 'mon. What's the problem?"

Vector sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, searching through his mind for the right choice of words to string together. He could feel Switch's eyes on him and hear him shifting against the wall, growing impatient with the wait.

Finally, he looked up at the grassy moor and distant tree-houses. "What do you do if you've found yourself falling for someone?"

"Huh." Switch nodded and folded his arms, watching the wind rustle the long grass. "I think I know what you're getting at. But to be honest, I've never really had the confidence to do anything about it. I wasn't very popular with the ladies."

"Then that makes two of us. Hypothetically, though. What would you do?"

"I don't know. Say something. Ask her on a date maybe." Switch looked down at him and winked. "The question you need to ask is, what would _you_ do?"

Vector harrumphed and looked away from him. The next question gnawed away at him so much he bit his lip so hard he thought it was going to bleed. He couldn't even look up at Switch as the words flew from his mouth.

"That's all well and good, but... what if you knew you were dying?" he asked.

Switch was silent as he watched the grass swaying, leaving Vector's question hovering heavily in the air. He heard him shift again against the wall, could see him ruffle his hair with a hand as he sighed audibly.

"Vector... is there something you're not telling us?"  
That wasn't what he wanted to hear at all. That was prying, and he wasn't ready for that yet. He'd obviously said too much.

"Forget it." Vector kicked himself back from the wall and walked towards the trees. "You can't help me."

The grass crunched loudly beneath his feet until Switch's words froze him in his tracks. "She's very fond of you, you know." Pause. "I can tell."

Vector stared down at his paws as he let the human's words sink in.

"We're helping you find a cure, Vector. Keep your chin up, and know you're not alone."

Not alone, huh? As reassuring as that was, it didn't change anything. He nodded sullenly and moved quietly through the grass, feeling Switch's eyes on him until he vanished beyond a thicket.

...

The Backbone Mountain was eerily quiet, made all the more eerie by the strange, violet-leaking cracks that marred its surroundings. Hertz didn't even want to risk stepping over them, instead turning away from the ones that blocked his path to continue following the trail left by the ones that had vanished.

He was convinced they had vanished. The rocks seemed to be leaking steam, which on closer inspection was the kind of jargon you'd find in corrupted computer text. The ground was just as solid as it always had been. It wasn't warm. Cool on his pads, the sparse grass tickling his feet. If he'd been walking around with his eyes closed he wouldn't even had noticed anything different.

"I don't like walkin' through this stuff," said Mono. "It looks alien."

"It's seemingly harmless," said Hertz. "It's like walking through air."

"Air that tickles."

"It tickles you?" Sample laughed. "I think that's your imagination."

Mono tried to side-step a rock leaking code only to end up walking into a small bush. She spat leaves and wiped a paw over her face, grumbling under her breath.

"You know what?!" she snapped. "I wanna go home back to the city where there's less..." She waved a paw at the offending bush. "Less of this!"

"Less nature?" Hertz shrugged. "Pity. On a good day, I quite enjoy it. It's sad to see it reduced to a mess of cracks and whatever this white code stuff is."

He froze in his tracks, almost stumbling over as Sample bumped into his back. He raised a paw to silence the exploud before he could open his mouth and strained his ears to pick up the faint voice somewhere in the vicinity. Was it the meowstic and those felons? He took a step forwards and paused beside a crag, moving as silently as he could. The voice was louder now. It didn't sound familiar. He peered over the crag and his eyes widened.

"What the...?" he muttered.

Sample and Mono appeared on either side of him and the wartortle clasped her paws over her mouth to muffle the yell of surprise that popped out.

Before them lay a pile of eggs. A large pile that stretched on into the horizon, piled up between buildings in what had once been a village but now looked as desolate and abandoned as those around the Fracture. No pokemon could have laid that many. Pacing back and forth was a marowak, jotting down notes on a clipboard. He was dressed head to foot in a hazmat suit, but he wasn't the speaker. The owner of the voice was a wobbuffet – also dressed in a hazmat suit – who was scanning the eggs with a long metal rod connected to a computer tablet. A van stood a few feet from them, half hidden behind a razz berry bush.

Curiosity got the better of Hertz. He climbed out from behind the crag but before he could even introduce himself, the marowak looked up and raised a paw to stop him.

"Stay back!" he said. "This area is out of bounds!"

"We're government officials," said Hertz. "And I want to know what's going on."

The marowak moved over to him and pulled out a pocket computer, quickly scanning it over all three of them. He seemed satisfied with the results and gave a curt not.

"Hazmat suits in the back of the van. Help yourselves." He indicated to the truck behind him without so much as looking at the gallade, too interested with whatever he'd written down on his clipboard.

Hertz trotted over to the van, happy to find the back doors weren't locked. Despite there only being two pokemon examining the area they had several more suits packed into a suitcase. Probably in case more of their group planned to meet up here later to help with their investigation.

Hertz was happy to find a suit his size and he chuckled as he pulled it neatly over his shoulders.

"They must have a gallade on the team," he said. "This one fits like a glove."

"Speak for yourself," said Sample.

Hertz looked up at his colleague squeezed into a suit that was rather too small. It stretched across his chest and the pipes on his head were squashed into a helmet with just enough space for him to open his mouth. Mono stood beside him, looking a little baggy in the arms.

Hertz had to stifle a laugh and instead cleared his throat. "Let's go find out what's going on over there, shall we?"

The marowak and wobbuffet were still working away beside the pile of eggs. The marowak glanced up at them and scrawled something on his clip board.

"Hertz, right?" he said. "Got your names from your scans. I'm Bootstrap, and my colleague is Mirror."

"Pleased to meet you," said Hertz. "What's going on here?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," said Bootstrap. "All we know so far is these eggs are bad."

"Bad how?"

"Rotten. Bad. They have a smell to them. No idea where they came from, but it ain't normal, I can tell you that."

"Bad eggs..." said Mono. "Not what any female wants to lay, eh?"

Sample gave her a sideways glance and frowned. "So where'd they come from?" He asked Bootstrap.

"Dunno," said the marowak. "Our guess is an infected pokemon lay them, but there's loads. No ordinary pokemon can lay this many eggs."

"Do you think the cracks have anything to do with it?" asked Hertz.

"That's our second guess. Some have vanished, see? That's why we're here, but then we found these."

"That's why we're here, too. Although not officially. Curiosity threw us off course."

"My ma always told me curiosity lands young meowth in trouble." Bootstrap looked up from his clipboard at Mirror. "How are you getting on over there? You've not spoke up in a while."

"I dunno," said Mirror. "I'm getting some strange readings suddenly and I'm trying to figure them out."  
"Weird readings? Let me take a look."

Bootstrap took a few steps towards him when suddenly a strange snap cut through the air. He froze in his tracks, but only briefly as he was thrown into the air as an explosion shook the very ground. Shards of egg shell whistled past Hertz's helmet and he ducked, covering his head with both his paws. When he looked up, thick, jagged egg shards lay scattered in front of them, blurred by a shimmering screen. Mirror lowered his paws and the screen vanished. All five of them were speechless, their mouths hanging open as they stared at the field of eggs.

"I'm getting another strange reading," said Mirror. "We'd better get back to the van."

They stood and scurried over to the van, but another explosion tore through the air, thick shell shards whizzing overhead and clattering off the van's metal roof. They clambered inside the back of the van and waited until the shards settled on the ground.

"I don't recall bad eggs ever doin' that," said Mono. "What on earth is goin' on?!"  
"Virus that corrups and strange black cracks?" said Bootstrap. "I hardly think exploding eggs are out of place in all this. It only furthers my case that they're connected."

Mono rounded on him, her canines flashing between her lips with each word. "Regardless, they're freaky and need to be gotten rid of!"

Bootstrap raised his paws and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a strange, drawn out scream. He crept forward and peered out of the van and his body went rigid. Hertz joined him, craning over the marowak's head.

The egg field was visible through the bush's sparse branches. Standing amidst the field of eggs was what looked like a nidoqueen, but its body was covered in vines like a tangela. Another indescribable creature stood a few feet from her, making a strange clicking noise that could only be heard between the nidoqueen-esque creature's strange wails. She threw her head back with each one, her voice plaintive and pained. What happened next would be etched into Hertz's mind for an eternity.

The creature exploded.

Red painted the eggs and surrounding trees and rocks. He couldn't duck inside fast enough. He wanted to bring up the contents of his breakfast, but held it back. There was no way he was removing his helmet now. Those eggs were indeed linked to the virus. Those creatures had hatched from them, and not in the normal way. They'd exploded from them, much too large to be contained by those eggs.

Another explosion followed by a rain of red.

There went the other creature.

"I wanna go home," muttered Mono. She squatted in the corner of the van, hugging her knees as she rocked back and forth. "I wanna go home. Someone... please... wake up from this nightmare!"

Sadly, they wouldn't be going home any time soon. Bootstrap slammed the doors to the van closed just before another explosion hit. Then another. Then another. The eggs were going off one by one, interspersed with blood-curdling screams.

Hertz tried to cram his paws over his ears, but it was fruitless. Instead he resigned to hiding his head between his knees as he joined Mono and Sample in the corner of the van. The other two pokemon cowered behind the suitcase. Bootstrap's clipboard lay discarded by the door, and Hertz found himself watching his pen roll back and forth as the van shook amidst the chaos, the rattle it made on the floor only audible between each intense scream and boom.

Finally, it began to end. The explosions lessened off. Two or three went off in the distance, mere echoes compared to the previous ones.

Hertz finally looked up, joining everyone else in staring at the closed doors to the van. His heart was hammering in his chest and his breath came in heavy bursts, misting over the inside of his helmet.

"Is it over?" Mono asked in a shaky voice.

"I think so," said Sample.

Mirror faltered by the doors, one paw resting on the handle. Hertz couldn't blame him. No one knew what it now looked like outside. The image replaying through his mind would pale in comparison to the state of the place now. There were no windows in the back of the van to give any of them any idea. The only light came from a dim, flat bulb above them that now flickered slightly, likely caused by damage to the wires after the repeated blows from the explosions.

"What shall we do?" Hertz asked. "Shall we just drive back?"

"No. The van's going to be covered in... stuff," said Bootstrap. "It'll be full of contagions. It's much to risky."

"Then shall we call for a decontamination team?"

Bootstrap let out a heavy sigh and leant back against the wall. "I think that's best. They can take the whole van. Not one of us needs to step paw out-"

A low groan reached their ears, freezing them all to the spot. Sample looked round at Mono and raised an eyebrow.

"Was that you?" he asked.

"Why would it be me?" she replied.

"Well we did skip lunch, so..."

The groan resounded again, and all of them froze once more, bracing themselves for another explosion.

None came.

"You know what I think?" said Sample. "I think someone's alive out there."

"I think you might be right," said Bootstrap.

"But they all exploded!" said Mono. "Every one of them!"

Bootstrap moved Mirror aside and pushed the doors open. Outside was just as Hertz had dreaded, and he had to look away from the open mouth of the van. The marowak's paws pattered over the ground and he let out a yell of surprise.

"Oi! You might wanna look at this!"

"I really don't," Hertz muttered beneath his breath as he pushed himself to his feet.

He reminded himself over and over in his mind that he was a government official. With each step he reminded himself the world was falling apart. That the pokemon that had hatched from those eggs had died of the very thing he was trying to stop.

Outside was red. But this time rather than repulse him it hurt him. What was left of the village wasn't even standing any more. Every single building had been reduced to a pile of rubble. He didn't know for certain where those eggs had come from, but pokemon had emerged from them. Pokemon in pain and not one had deserved this.

What if those eggs were just another corruption? Another distortion caused by the virus, reducing the victims to life stuck inside a shell? It was only a guess, but it was the most likely theory.

Bootstrap stood only a few feet away, watching Hertz over his shoulder. He nodded at the object that had caught his eye. A long, thick mound of metal. What lay there looked like a steelix, but it wasn't. The head of a serperior lay amongst the shards and blood-stained rubble, its eyes screwed shut as it groaned repeatedly.

"This one survived," said Bootstrap.

Hertz blinked in confusion. "How?"

"I dunno." The marowak jotted more notes down on his clipboard. "I wanna get this pokemon to the hospital. A private room. Run some tests on it and see why it hatched from an egg, and why, like all the others, it exploded. If this virus is corrupting pokemon into eggs, I want to know. That way, we can increase the warning that the virus leads to deaths other than those from merely not withstanding a DNA transformation."

Hertz mulled this over, wondering for a moment why the marowak was telling him this until he remembered the scan he'd received. Of course Bootstrap would now know his place in the hospital, but it still didn't quite register that he was requesting a room for the pokemon that lay before him.

A pokemon who was by no means meant to have a body made out of metal.

None of those pokemon were meant to explode – at least not the ones he'd seen. Exploding was a move that only certain electric type and rock or steel types were meant to know, reserved as a last-resort during a period of extreme distress.

Those wails. Every one of those pokemon that hatched had been distressed. Their bodies warped, suffering pain from maintaining bodies they were not meant to have.

Steel types...

They had the body structure to deal with such an attack. To survive the nasty side effect of blowing oneself to bits. All that happened was the explosion, the impact. The pokemon itself survived, albeit exhausted from the effort.

"It survived because of its body." The words came out of his mouth the moment he said them.

Bootstrap looked up at him, pen paused mid-sentence. "Pardon?"

"The serperior," he said. "It has a steel body. That's why it survived the explosion."

"Huh." Bootstrap looked back down at the fallen victim. "You know what, Hertz? I think you might be right."

"So what's next?" Hertz asked. "You really want to send this pokemon to a lab? It might try to explode again."

"We'd keep it under anaesthetic, or artificially induce a coma. I don't think for one second that this pokemon was born from these cracks. I think something went crazy here, turning hundreds of pokemon into eggs."

"So do I," said Hertz. "I think I can grant your request, Bootstrap. But we need to find a way to get this pokemon there first. Where do we stand on the decontamination squad?"

Bootstrap looked back over his shoulder at the van and shouted for Mirror. The wobbuffet immediately peered out at them.

"Have you contacted them?" Bootstrap asked.

"They're on their way. I've sent them our co-ordinates."

"Excellent." Bootstrap tucked his clipboard into his belt and crossed his arms as he stared down at the groaning pokemon. "You know something, Hertz? I've been investigating this virus since it first appeared, but I've seen nothing like this."

"Me neither," said Hertz.

"Your identification of the explosion phenomenon has struck something with me." The marowak looked up at him out of the corner of his eye. "I think I might want you on my team."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	27. Family

**A/N - Urk all last week I had a horrible cold and couldn't write, so that's why there's a delay. I really wanna get this 'fic finished this week, especially since I'm planning a new epic. If I'm to estimate I'd say I've got two more chapters to write. Maybe three if things go crazy.**

 **So... Alolan Dugtrio... I've not seen it myself in the demo yet but it's like... the most hilarious Pokemon ever.**

26 - Family

The dark of night made those cracks harder to see and thus made flying a dangerous endeavour. Several times Pixel had let out a squeak of surprise as a flash of violet appeared before her eyes only to vanish a hair's breadth above her head as Switch ducked and swerved out of the way.

Burst didn't have an easy time himself. Those cracks took him by surprise and several times he'd faltered in a flurry of feathers to get around them. Fortunately for him, Vector was on his back. The meowstic removed two of the more complicated webs, clearing a large path for them, but the closer they got to the ground the worse they became.

Which was a shame, because all in all it was a beautiful night. In this area of System, there was less light pollution from cities, making the stars stand out brightly against the dark blue sky. Pixel would have enjoyed star gazing if she'd been given the chance.

Finally, Switch's talons touched the ground and he ducked to let her dismount. Burst landed beside her, his beak open as he tried to catch his breath.

"Well that wasn't easy," he gasped out.

"We would have waited until daylight," said Switch. "But unfortunately we'd have more distance to travel and... well, we don't want to waste any time."

He regained his human form and beat down his sleeves, avoiding the staraptor's eyes. After a short while, Burst shrugged and had a quick look around.

"I don't plan on trying to fly back in the dark. I think I'll scope out a hotel room for the night."

"Where?" asked Vector.

Burst pointed with a wing feather. "Just over there."

Pixel had to squint a little, but beyond the trees she could just make out the lingering lights from a small town.

"That's Backlink Town," he said. "Their hotel is mostly used by travelling pokemon. I've used it before myself."

"Why when you can just fly back to your island?" Vector nodded to the drifting continent miles above them.

"I ain't as young as I used to be," Burst told him. "Sometimes I don't wanna fly all that way, especially when it's back out over the ocean. Takes hours when the wind's against you!"

"Suit yourself," Vector said with a shrug. He turned and started to walk away, keeping one paw outstretched for any cracks.

Burst huffed through his nose and ruffled his feathers before turning back to Switch.

"That kid needs to learn some manners," he said.

Switch said nothing as he watched Vector move away. Pixel looked from the human to the meowstic and back, half expecting Switch to agree. Something seemed to have changed, but she couldn't work out what.

"To be honest, I'd like a rest myself," he finally said. "But I think we need to make tracks."

"I expected nothing less," said Burst. "Just make sure he doesn't overwork himself, okay? Scanner is rather worried about that."

Switch winked. "Noted."

"I wish you all the best," Burst told them. "Take care, and stay in touch!"

He gave Switch a firm stare which the human merely laughed at and waved a hand.

"I shall try my best," he said. "Provided I don't get zapped by any more ampharos."

Burst smiled broadly and spread his wings, hopping along the ground as he dodged a small crack then rose into the air.

Switch watched him vanish beyond the trees then turned back to Pixel.

"We should catch up to Vector before he loses us," he said. "That wouldn't exactly be a good start to our task now, would it?"

She gave a tinkling laugh and kept pace beside him as they jogged to catch up with Vector. The meowstic paused to look back at them and sighed.

"If you're done with your goodbyes-"

"How long until we reach the jungle, Vector?" Switch asked.

Again, no argument, no retort. Pixel's nose crinkled with confusion. She was definitely beginning to think she'd missed something.

Vector turned away and continued along the dirt road. "We should be there by dawn if we don't dawdle."

"Dawn, eh?" Switch yawned and stretched then folded his arms behind his head. He gave Pixel a warm smile that made his eyes crinkle. "Good job you had a nap, huh?"

...

The little bullet car soared through the night sky, its headlights leading the way as it twisted and turned between the web of cracks. N00b feared if it weren't for his headlights they would have been caught in those strange anomalies by now. Not to mention he was having to drive at a speed that mimicked one of those lorries going through Meta City's crowded streets, or at times a thread going through a needle's eye. The collision detector wasn't programmed to avoid those deadly, violet-leaking cracks. As the thick mass thinned out around them, he could clearly see the world below. Villages were engulfed in them, the street lamps and antennae providing the only light in those now derelict areas. The backbone mountain was well behind them now, but N00b hadn't failed to notice the path cutting through those cracks. What unnerved him was that the path was leading towards the Fracture. He had no intention of going there, but maybe there was a town or city they could land in that was clear of those cracks. Clear of the virus.

"How much longer?" Byte asked with a yawn.

"You can sleep, you know," said N00b. " You don't need to stay awake, because I've really no idea."

"I can't sleep in a moving vehicle," said Byte. "I don't know how Nybble does it."

N00b glanced at the emolga's reflection in his rear view mirror. His sister was huddled up to him with her head resting on his shoulder, just visible behind Leaf's sleeping form. A small smile spread across the terrier's face and he turned his attention back on their destination.

"I've noticed something."

Leaf's voice caused a yelp to fly out of N00b's mouth. His body stiffened from ear to tail and he glanced back at the ivysaur who prompted him to turn back around with a claw.

"Those cracks," said Leaf. "They've thinned out."

"I know," said N00b. "Has it always been that way though? Or is it just a coincidence?"

"It's strange behaviour to be a coincidence."

"We know nothing about them to confirm that though," said N00b. "All we know is they're dangerous and we need to stay away from them."

Leaf went silent and N00b glanced his reflection in the mirror observing the world below.

"Where were you going anyway?" he asked Leaf. "You never told me."

"That's because we had nowhere planned," said Leaf. "We were just going to keep heading north and investigate some areas that aren't riddled with cracks."

N00b made a thoughtful noise and shrugged. "Well it looks like you're out of luck. 'Cos everywhere down there is full of them."

"Where are you headed?"

"I finally got in touch with Switch. He told me they're heading to the Binary Jungle. I was going to go there."

"What?! When?!" Leaf leant forwards on his seat so that he was leaning so close to N00b he could feel his breath on the back of his ears. "You never told us!"

"It was via text," said N00b. "And you were asleep anyway. I thought you wouldn't object since Pixel is with him."

"She's all right?" Leaf let out a sigh and fell back in his seat. "Thank goodness!"

N00b fired him a grin through the mirror. "Have a soft spot for her, huh?"

"Not exactly. She's like a sister to me. Her and the twins are the closest thing to a family I have left."

"Ah." N00b sighed and his ears drooped. "Kinda like I am with my little group. At least when all this is over, you guys can still stick together."

"What do you mean?"

"Well you're all pokemon. There's no humans on your island."

A look of realisation spread over Leaf's face and he diverted his gaze to the passing scenery. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I always knew they'd have to go home some time. And Connor will be so happy to get back to his own world. I know Snippet will be really sad to see them go. She's looked after all four of us like her own children."

Leaf was silent for a moment as he examined N00b's reflection. "You're an orphan?"

"Yeh! Me and Diode."

"If you don't mind me asking, why?"

"Keep it under your hat and I'll tell you." N00b grinned at Leaf's stiff nod. "My parents are both hackers. My dad taught me from being really young how to use computers and analyse code. Shortly after I turned two, I remember the police barging into the house and taking them both away. I was bundled into an orphanage where I met Diode. He's a quiet one. Only ever speaks to me or Snippet. He was there from being an egg. Snippet used to work there as well, see, and she took a liking to us. Took us both in after she retired, which wasn't even a year after I got there. We've been living with her ever since."

"Whoa." Byte blinked his large eyes. "A hacker?"

"What? That wasn't obvious?" N00b chuckled.

"I knew you knew your way around a computer, but... you said yourself you wouldn't call yourself a hacker so I just assumed..."

N00b laughed heartily and struck a paw on the steering wheel. "I only said that so those goons wouldn't turn me in! I only use my hacking skills for good. Rescuing Vector for instance."

Leaf had been silent as he took all this in. The look on his face told N00b he wasn't impressed, but after a moment there was a twinkle in his eye that said otherwise.

"I have to say I agree with you," he said. "I never thought much of hackers, but that poor meowstic might be dead by now if it weren't for you."

"Pixel and Switch helped out a lot as well," said N00b. "I was just the intel and get-away mobile."

"I think you were a lot more than that."

N00b closed his eyes and chuckled. "I guess I do have a pretty mean wild-charge. Ooh!" His eyes widened briefly and he nodded to the horizon. "There's Binary Jungle! Can you see it?"

Leaf and Byte leant forwards, and a small grumble came from Nybble as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

Sprouting up amongst the black cracks stood the thick canopy of the Binary Jungle. It wasn't visible in this lack of light, but N00b could picture the binary-like steam rising from the leaves. He'd only seen it on the television, beautiful and green and filled with bug and grass type pokemon. It was even home to some fairy types.

He daren't think what state it lay in now.

...

Dim lights lit up the quarantine ward, only enhancing the eeriness that the presence of the virus itself brought with it. It was like this every night. Outside was pitch black, save for the street lights and flickering antennae. None of those lights were enough to light up the dingy corridor. Even after working there for weeks, Hertz was by no means immune to the atmosphere. It made his fur stand on end.

The blood splattered hazmat suits had been incinerated as soon as they arrived back at Central Meta Hospital with Bootstrap's team. His fur still had a chemical smell to it and it filled the clean hazmat suit's helmet. The smell alone wasn't enough to give another pokemon reassurance he was virus-free, but all of them had also received a scan. Fortunately not one of them showed signs of having contracted the virus.

The marowak stood just beside the door to a private ward, his arms crossed over his chest being the only sign he was feeling any anxiety about their new patient. Hertz was also anxious, but he wanted answers. That corrupted serperior was alive. Sedated, but alive. The sedation wasn't just for the pokemon's comfort either. If there was a risk he was going to explode again, it needed to be kept to an absolute minimum for the sake of everyone's safety.

Keeping everyone safe wasn't going to get them any answers though, was it?

Hertz pushed himself into the room and approached the unconscious reptile. The sheet over his long body bulged where steel plates and spines sprouted from his scales. Hertz kept one eye on him as he turned the dial on the machine, lowering the steady dosage that was being pumped into the serperior's veins.

"Hang on, Hertz," Bootstrap whispered harshly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We won't know what's going on unless we ask, will we?" Hertz replied. "He hatched from one of those eggs. That means there's a chance he was there, in the thick of it all."

"But it's not safe! We don't even know what pokemon he is. What if he explodes again?"

"And what if he doesn't?"

"If he's scared and in pain it might be a reflex, like every single other victim that hatched from those eggs!"

Hertz looked back at him over his shoulder. "And your _voice_ won't scare him? Keep it down. I won't be long."

Bootstrap grimaced and let the door close as he ducked out of the room, leaving Hertz alone with the serperior.

A few moments passed before the sleeping pokemon's eyes flittered open. A low groan escaped his mouth and one of his eyes locked onto the gallade.

Not a single hint of fear crossed Hertz's face, but he kept his claws on the dial just in case. So far so good. That pokemon was breathing much too heavily, but he was watching him. One thing reassured Hertz – there was sanity behind that eye.

"I'm sorry to wake you," Hertz said softly. "But I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me?"

"Questions?" the serperior gasped out. "What do you want to know?"

"Firstly, I want to know what species you are?"

The serperior laughed bitterly and closed his eyes. "I _was_ a servine."

Servine? Hertz looked him up and down. His previous assumption had been only because of his long, limbless body, but he could see it in his face now. He looked too young to be a serperior.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Coil."

"Coil... I see." Hertz nodded as he looked him up and down again. "Well, Coil. I'm Doctor Hertz. And I'm hoping you might be able to tell me what went on in that village? Why did everyone suddenly explode out of an egg?"

Coil screwed his eyes shut and grit his teeth together. "I'm in pain, doctor."

"I'm aware of that. But you'll be in even more pain if you let yourself explode, not to mention you'll bring the whole hospital down with you. Try to hold yourself together and I'll put you back to sleep when we're done talking."

Coil opened one eye to watch Hertz as he pulled over a chair and fell down into it. His breathing was still heavy, but he was looking a lot more relaxed. Hertz had to give him credit that he was truly trying to remain calm.

"I'm really sorry to do this to you," Hertz said. "But like you I am desperate to find a cure for this virus. Right now, I would do anything to be rid of it. This world needs help, but we need to know what we're fighting if we're going to find a cure. Most of the patients that come in here are on death's door. Many of them aren't in control of their faculties. You, however, are. Is there anything you can tell me at all about what happened before you were... transformed?" He gestured with a paw at the patient's body.

Coil let out another groan as he strained to lift his head, but Hertz stopped him by raising his paw. Instead, the servine resigned himself to rolling over on his side so both eyes were locked on the gallade.

"It was the cracks," he said quietly. "They just appeared. The best way I can describe it is to say they sliced through the village. Anything they touched was destroyed. Buildings, pokemon. I watched them turn into eggs. I tried to outrun them, but... I couldn't."

"The cracks..." Hertz rubbed his paws together but he didn't take his eyes off Coil. "So they are linked to the virus."

"I don't know how much they're linked, or in what way, but I think it's safe to say they are."

"If what you say is true, then it's _proof_ they are." Hertz stood up and reached for the dial. "Thank you, Coil. I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Wait, doctor."

Hertz paw froze on the dial as he looked back at Coil. Tears glistened in the corners of the servine's eyes. Coil licked his lips a few times and diverted his gaze away.

"Did you... did you happen to see my family in those eggs?" he asked.

Hertz stared at him for a moment as he tried to work out an answer. Suddenly he was back in that village, watching the eggs explode. Hiding in the van as screams tore through the air. Standing amongst a pool of red looking at the desolation. There was no way he was going to tell him all that. But no matter how sensitive he tried to be, the truth would probably crush him.

"No," he finally said. "I'm sorry, Coil, but you're the only survivor from that village."

Coil closed his eyes as tears streaked over his cheeks. "I feared as much."

"I'm really sorry," Hertz told him. "I know it won't bring your family back, but I promise you I'll try to find a cure. Sleep well."

Coil nodded stiffly and muttered a 'thank you' as Hertz turned the dial, letting the anaesthesia flow back into the pokemon's veins.

As he watched Coil fall under the effects of the anaesthesia, something gnawed inside his chest. Something that pushed a lump up into his throat. He tore himself away from the sleeping servine and dragged himself towards the door.

Bootstrap was still waiting for him, but whatever the marowak said fell on deaf ears. Hertz wouldn't stop walking. Not until he was out of the dingy, poorly lit hallway and inside the bright, white walls of the decontamination room. The hiss of the spray tore through the silence and he fell with his back against the wall, sliding down onto his bottom with his head in his hands.

No matter what he knew about that virus – what it did, where it came from – there was one thing he knew for sure. A cure wouldn't bring that poor servine's family back.

Just like it wouldn't bring back his family, either.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	28. The Silent City

**A/N - I didn't really find time to update yesterday, sorry. I may need to revise my update days a bit. Since I started writing on a desktop rather than my laptop, my work isn't immediately at my fingertips in the morning any more and I don't tend to do any writing on a Friday usually. Also, Decidueye's design is awesome! Argh, I love that owl!**

27 – The Silent City

Pixel was really glad she'd had that nap. The sky was dyed with a yellow and orange hue as the sun began to rise, stretching out their shadows across the empty park. Its vibrant rays reflected off the puddles of a recent rainfall and dazzled on the still water of a previously well-kept pond. What was once a city now stood in ruin but it had proven to be the safest route towards the Binary Jungle. Strange sounds had come from the sparse village and empty plains around it and none of them had wanted to meet the pokemon making those sounds.

Plus this former city was oddly free of those deadly cracks.

As they moved back onto one of the high streets, her heart leapt into her throat as she glanced her reflection in a shattered store window and she swiftly ducked to Switch's other side.

He gave her a small smile and stifled a chuckle. "You seem on edge."

"After our experience with that gooey monster, how couldn't I be?" she said. "I'm surprised you're so oddly confident."

"That's because I'm convinced there's nothing here."

She let out a wistful sigh and nudged at a piece of egg shell with her toe. "I just pity those that had to flee from here. It looks like a few of them even left their eggs behind."

"I want to know where they fled to," said Switch. "My guess is they went towards the metropolis." He nodded back the way they'd come.

Pixel eyed the damaged buildings around them. Some of them had deep claw marks amongst the shattered stones and broken glass. "I would have thought the jungle would provide more cover if they were fleeing from a rampaging virus victim."

"Switch is right," said Vector. "There's no way they would have fled into the jungle. If they went towards the Binary Jungle they'd only be heading towards the Fracture, and nobody wants to go there."

"I think those who are running for their lives wouldn't be worrying about the Fracture," said Pixel.

"No, but the SWAT teams rallying them would be."

She gave the debris a nervous glance as she pressed on after the meowstic. More shards of egg shell lay scattered amongst the rubble and dotted the road, scraping along the paving stones and tarmac as the wind picked up. There certainly had been a lot of eggs. She found it hard to believe that their parents would be forced to abandon them like this.

"Huh." Vector came to a sudden halt and looked to his right.

Pixel and Switch joined him, following his gaze to an alley still cast in deep shadow. Tattered rags hung above it. Banners that had once advertised local stores that couldn't afford the luxuries of a digital billboard in the more frequented areas of the city. It wasn't something she saw very often, since she had rarely left the comforts of Meta City. The rags dripped water from the night's tropical rainfall, but what had piqued Vector's interest lay below those rags. Amongst fabric, egg shells and stone debris lay thick, dark puddles. Dark puddles that differed greatly to the ones that filled the potholes and blocked-up rainwater drains. The ground below the rags had barely been touched by the rain.

In the dim light it was hard to be completely certain. Vector took a few steps towards it, his nose crinkling as he sniffed at the air.

"It's blood," he said flatly.

Pixel's stomach knotted and she placed a paw over her mouth. She'd feared as much. Several scenarios played through her mind as she pictured the inhabitants fleeing, chased by an army of indescribable virus-ridden monstrosities. Monstrosities that had once been the friends or colleagues or family of those they were now chasing down.

Vector craned his neck to look up at the rags and took a few steps backwards. "I want to get out of here. Come on, let's get a move on."

Switch gave the alley one last glance and shook his head as he ushered Pixel forwards after the meowstic. Her body didn't want to obey. She had to remind herself if she stayed here much longer then something might come back.

But then again, there was also always the chance that the blood belonged to a virus victim. Puddles of it just lying there in the alley, infected, waiting to spread itself into whatever unsuspecting pokemon stepped in it.

Her stomach knotted again and she picked up her pace, almost trotting after Vector. Her eyes scanned over the ground and she let out a yelp as her foot touched a cold puddle of water.

Vector glanced back at her, his eyes wide, until he saw the water and tutted. He grabbed her paw, steering her away from a large, deep puddle and into a quiet, narrow road.

A fine mist coated the floor, pouring in from the jungle as they drew ever nearer to it. But the closer they came to the edge of the city, the more egg shells there were. Piling up against stone walls, shattered amongst debris, drifting along in the gutter. Pixel's heart hammered in her chest as she found it impossible to look away from them. Something was wrong. No one could have abandoned this many eggs. It didn't make sense.

"Looks like we're almost out," said Vector.

She looked up at him, aware he was still clutching her paw as he half-dragged her along after him. She adjusted hers around his claws, securing her grip and steadied her pace at his side. He gave her a sideways glance, an air of confusion behind his eyes, then looked away as he readjusted his paw to rest comfortably in hers.

"What do you think really happened here?" The words just came out of her mouth, voicing what she'd been wondering for a while.

"I'm trying not to think about it," said Vector. "But I really don't like the look of all this shell."

"Me neither," said Switch. He followed behind them with his arms tucked behind his head, looking like the scene didn't phase him in the slightest. Like it was just another route to pass through. "To be honest, I want to put all this behind me. It's giving me the creeps."

"Well, in a mere few minutes, you can do that," said Vector. "I can see the trees from here."

Pixel squinted into the distance. She could barely make it out through the mist, but a hint of green peeked out at them. It gave her a renewed vigour and she picked up her pace, keeping her eyes on that little green patch.

It was almost impossible to tune out the egg shell as it crunched beneath their feet, loud in the deafening silence of the city. Pixel's heart leapt into her throat as the trunks of the green trees became visible through the mist. She could now make out the binary code that made up the mist around the branches and leaves as it rose into the air and vanished, or flooded into the city until it resembled the cloudy stuff they'd been walking through. But something wasn't right about those trunks.

She trotted on ahead of her two friends, their shouts of concern ringing in her ears. It couldn't be what she dreaded it was, could it?

It was.

The trees of the Binary Jungle were splattered with deep, red patches. Just like the cloth-covered alley. Blood. Streaked up the trees, pooled amongst the roots, marring the lower branches' vibrant, green leaves in a stark, morbid contrast.

Any thoughts that the jungle might be safer and more welcoming than the city were brutally torn away from her. She clasped her paws to her chest and took a step back, meeting the fabric of Switch's cargo pants.

Vector stood staring up at the jungle, his ears pulled back and his paws balled into fists. But he said nothing.

Pixel stuttered over her words as she choked out, "What on earth happened in this city?"

...

The N00b Mobile's engine whirred to a stop as the car pulled up beside the tall trees of the Binary Jungle. N00b hopped out onto the grass and went to open the doors for his other passengers, but they vaulted them and landed on either side of the car, stretching and looking around at the sombre surroundings.

Cracks everywhere, rising from towns and cities and spreading into the air like a giant galvantula web. Now the sun had risen, the cracks were prominent, tinting the fluffy white clouds with their ultraviolet light.

A good few miles from them lay Binary City, named after the jungle. They'd wanted to avoid that. Strange sounds had been coming from the ground to the right of that city and every one of them had agreed to put a good distance between themselves and that noise. N00b had chosen a flat, green area that had been used as farm land. In some fields he could see berry trees, blocked off by an ultraviolet web. This patch was oddly clear of cracks, and the empty path led into the jungle.

"It's a shame we don't have any food," said Byte. "Because I'm really hungry."

"Me too," said Nybble.

"We'll find food soon enough." Leaf didn't look up from his pocket computer. "The Binary Jungle is home to exotic berries. If we don't find any, I'll be surprised."

N00b grinned broadly. "Watmel berries?! Bring it on!"

The two emolga cheered.

"Just give me a few minutes..." Leaf tapped at his screen and muttered an 'ahah'. "Pixel? Can you hear me?" When he got a response, he smiled and leant back against the car. "We're with N00b at the Binary Jungle right now. He told me you're heading there. Where are you up to?"

Pixel's voice squeaked away incoherently, and N00b strained his ears to hear what was being said on the other line to no avail.

"You're here already?!" Leaf gasped. "We'll try to find you. See you inside."

He cut the line and exchanged bemused and relieved glances with the emolga twins.

"So she's here then?" N00b asked tentatively. "Alone or...?"

"She's inside the jungle with Switch and Vector," explained Leaf.

They were okay! A grin split the lillipup's face from ear to ear and he skipped backwards towards the trees. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Yes, but be careful," said Leaf. "We don't know what's inside, and if the state of the surrounding towns are anything to go by, it could be a real mess."

"Just watch where you're putting your paws," N00b told the others. "The grass gets really dense towards the trees."

"Yeh, and its littered with egg shell." Leaf kicked one aside. "Who in their right mind would-"

His words died on his mouth as his body went rigid, his eyes widening with fear. An ear-splitting scream flew from his mouth and N00b's jaw went slack as he watched the ivysaur turn from green to red, his leaves sizzling from the tips and receding back towards the bulb on his back.

"Leaf!" Nybble shrieked.

N00b shook his head in disbelief. The egg shell... it was infected?

The putrid smell of burning flesh and foliage filled the air and smoke billowed up in thick black clouds. The screaming continued as Leaf flailed beneath the flames, rolling on the ground which only spread the fire to the grass.

"The car! Get to the car!" N00b barked, nudging Byte towards the N00b Mobile. "Hurry! Now!"

"Nybble, move it!" Byte grabbed his sister by the paw and tugged her after him, but she fought him off as she tried to reach their burning friend. She choked on the smoke, trying in vain to waft it aside with her paw.

"No!" she wailed. "We have to help him! _Leaf_!"

N00b grabbed her scruff in his teeth and lugged her after him, tossing her into the passenger seat. Byte held the struggling emolga in place, his eyes glistening with tears as N00b started the engine.

"We can't leave him!" she screamed, leaning over the edge as the car rose into the air.

"We have to! There's nothing we can do!" N00b's voice was hoarse over the lump in his throat. "If we go back, we'll meet the same fate. Okay?"

"But-"

"He wouldn't want you to catch it," said N00b. "Would he?"

The twins fell silent as they watched the ground shrink away beneath them. They swiftly passed over the first trees of the jungle while behind them the grass smouldered, engulfing what remained of their friend in a terrible, black cloud. They could no longer hear his screams. All N00b could assume was that they had stopped, and that would be a terrible yet good thing. No one deserved what the ivysaur had just gone through.

"I can't believe it," Nybble whispered as she clutched onto her brother, their eyes locked onto the smouldering grass. "We're losing everyone."

N00b bit his lip and glanced back at the field. At the thick tendrils of black smoke rising into the air. It had all happened so fast, and now it really hit him.

Tears stung his eyes and he wiped them away with a paw. "Farewell, my friend."

...

 **Argh. Poor Leaf ='(**

 **Please R &R**


	29. Surreal

**A/N - Sorry about Leaf guys =( it really points to the severity of the situation...**

 **NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow! I'll be spending November finishing off this 'fic (I'm part way through one of the two (or three) ending chapters right now), writing the sequel to my Zootopia 'fic and also planning my upcoming dystopian Pokemon Mystery Dungeon epic. The real question is can I finally reach 50,000 words in 30 days? D=**

28 – Surreal

Hertz strolled down the empty corridors of Central Meta Hospital's mental health ward. One of the lights flickered so erratically he just knew spending too long in this corridor would give him a migraine. He had to make this visit quick. Hopefully he'd be a little more enlightened by the end of it.

Finally he arrived at his destination, stopping before a door marked 'M.H. Room 15'. A quick flash of his card key and the lock clicked open, allowing him to step inside. Another door separated him from completely entering the room - metal framed, the clear windows obscured by a mesh of heavy steel. The steel structure continued along to his right, reaching up to his torso. The rest of the wall was made from double-glazed perspex. That meant whatever was kept on the other side wouldn't be bursting their way out any time soon.

Huddled in a corner sat what at first glance appeared to be an archeops, but in the blink of an eye they transformed into a human girl, her long black hair flowing neatly down her back and contrasting greatly with her white hospital clothes. He knew all about this patient, well... what the _hospital_ knew anyway. Maybe too much for his general area, but reading up on another patient's records in a desperate bid to find a cure to the virus would hardly be frowned upon.

He hoped.

At one point she'd been chained down to the bed to stop her from damaging herself or her doctors. Eventually she'd calmed down but no one could do anything about her going back and forth between two forms. Over time she'd just learned to deal with it, and it had been deemed safe enough to unchain her and keep her in a sturdy cell. It was certainly not safe to let her go free, and Hertz hoped desperately that the sole reason wouldn't hinder him getting the information he hoped to obtain.

It was a long shot and he knew it, but the plight of the poor servine and his own family was weighing heavily on his shoulders and right now he was going to try anything in his power to track down that meowstic. His current involvement with Bootstrap's investigation into the cracks would have to wait.

He pushed a small black button to activate the microphone and cleared his throat.

The girl looked up, her body changing to the feathered form of the archeops. The narrowed eyes that peered back at him unsettled him but he refused to let it show, instead returning her look with a steely stare.

"Annie, I presume?" he said.

Her form flashed back to human again and she pushed herself to her feet. "What do you want? I took my meds at lunch."

Lunch? He glanced down at his phone. It was coming up to supper time. Surely someone must have seen her in that time? He grit his teeth together and hoped the poor creature had just lost track of time.

The girl was now hugging her knees to her chest, staring blankly at the wall and muttering over and over, "Meds at lunch... meds at lunch..." until it transformed into, "Leds at munch..."

"I'm not here for that," Hertz said loudly to get her attention. "I'm here to ask you some questions?"

"Again?" The exasperation in her voice was clear and she pushed herself to her feet and slumped back against the far wall to face him, folding her arms across her chest. "Look. I don't know what happened to me. One minute I'm at home, the next I'm in your world with this-" _Flash._ "Condition."

He now stared at a disgruntled archeops and shrugged. "Your condition is actually why I want to talk to you. I'm assuming you're aware of the virus that's attacking System?"

"Somewhat, yeah. Don't affect me though, does it?" She paced over to the window and stopped about mid way, repeating 'does it' under her breath over and over as though she wasn't quite sure of the words.

Hertz eyed her curiously and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "No, not especially. But one aspect might."

That interested her. An eyebrow rose as her form changed once more, but she said nothing. Just staring. Waiting. Two green eyes fixed onto him which seemed oddly bright in the white, padded room of her cell.

"I had... what might have been a solution," Hertz explained carefully. "But it was taken from me. One of the culprits has the same ability as you, albeit he can control it somehow."

She snorted. "Then why can't I?"

He shrugged. "I've no idea. But I will say one thing. As far as pokemon go, you have a spectacular type advantage."

The girl spread her blue and yellow clawed wings, looking them over before she lost the form then looked back at him with a start.

"You see," Hertz said slowly, "you have your problems, and we have our own. This virus could be the end of this world, and you're living in it."

She inclined her head on one side, which looked rather comical for an archeops. "Am I?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, but... I can't say if that's more for your sake our ours."

"Think I'm a problem?" she grumbled. "Wanna get rid of me? That why they feed me tranquillisers? Tranquillisers... Tranquillisers..." She was off again, slowly pacing the room as she mulled the word over.

"If you don't want to be a problem then be a part of the solution!" Hertz snapped.

She span on the spot and clasped her hands behind her back, giving him a sweet smile that seemed extraordinarily creepy under the current circumstances.

"What? You want help off me? How can little Annie help?"

"You could start by telling me about the human male who can also change form," Hertz went on. "Then I could perhaps... get you out of here? You could help me track him down."

She snorted with amusement. "You want me to get outta here and help you search for some human/pokemon freak?" She laughed, doubling over onto her knees. "Gimme a break, doc. I can't even hold one form for more than five minutes!"  
Well, at least she was aware of her problem. Putting aside her fascination with words and blank walls, that is.

"Do you know him?" Hertz asked.

"I dunno." She leant back against the wall again and placed a finger on her chin, which then became a claw. "What's he look like?"

"Tall. Brown hair with red highlights. Golden eyes. Flight jacket. And when he changes form, he's a talonflame."

"You didn't list pants."

"What?"

"Pants. You didn't list pants."

Hertz swallowed his exasperation. "Black. Do you want the colour of his boots as well?"

"No. I think I'm fine. Hang on."

She was silent for a moment, repeating his description so many times the words began to get mixed up and mispronounced. Finally her green eyes locked back onto him and an innocent frown twisted across her mouth.

"No. I don't think I know him."

Hertz let out a sigh of defeat. It had been a long shot and he knew it. Right now he was just clutching at straws. "Well, thank you for your time." He slowly turned from the window.

"You done with me now? Not taking me with you?"

"No, I... honestly think you're in the best place for you." He paused, meeting her eyes briefly. "I'll see if I can find a doctor on my way out and remind them they need to give you your medication."

She shrugged and skipped back to her corner where she flopped down and began humming to herself. The rapid personality change she'd just gone through was tiring even for him. He swiftly left the cell and locked it behind him, hoping to slip out before Bootstrap discovered where he'd been.

He wasn't sure the marowak would understand.

...

More of the jungle's foliage was becoming visible as the pool of egg shell fragments thinned out. Pixel's feet crunched over the last of them before her toes finally touched the lush grass. She was thankful the blood-splattered trees were behind them now. It had been hard to discern whether the blood had anything to do with the egg shells, but whatever the case was she really didn't want to think about it. The Binary Jungle had a strange feel to it as it was. Wisps of binary code drifted up from both the ground and canopy, but the stuff on the ground was different. It was identical to the strange mist-like code that rose up off the ground after Vector erased the black cracks. Harmless mist that they could wade through with no hindrance.

It would have been a picturesque, vibrant landscape if it weren't for the black cracks. They spread like a web over the canopy and zigged and zagged through the jungle, slicing through the trees which had either broken at their contact or stood warped and twisted in a surreal way that left Pixel feeling incredibly unsettled.

"I feel like I've walked into some surrealist's painting," said Switch.

"Tell me about it." She turned her eyes away from one particular tree, its trunk twisted into a screw, and tried to focus her attention on getting through the jungle.

Vector, who had been silent since they'd been faced with the morbid task of climbing through what looked like a massacre scene, let out a relieved sigh as he reached the end of the egg shells. He took one look at the corkscrew tree and placed a paw on the crack running through it. The jagged anomaly vanished with a snap, but the poor tree still stood as warped as ever.

"Well, that's a shame," said Switch.

Vector grunted with agreement and tore himself away from the tree. "I just hope the berries we're looking for aren't warped and twisted as well."  
That was a good point. With the state the jungle stood in, the trees they were looking for might have been destroyed or damaged. Pixel dreaded to think what eating a potentially contaminated berry could do. She hugged her arms to herself and followed after the black and white meowstic.

The Binary Jungle was oddly quiet. Not a sound rose from the canopy other than the rustling of leaves in the wind. There was no sign of any life, yet she was certain pokemon lived in this jungle. Sooner or later they would stumble upon a village. A village that she was certain would be abandoned or consumed with destruction from the cracks and virus.

They paused as Vector examined a thick web of cracks. None of them were small enough to pass through it. He made short work of it, setting off a series of snaps which were like explosions in the silent jungle. The gap it left was more than enough for Switch to pass through.

As they moved along, Pixel absently gazing up at the cracks arcing high above her, Vector doubled over as coughs racked his body. Her attention snapped to him and she rushed to his side, placing a paw on his back.

"Are you okay?"

The words seemed fairly pointless. Red streaked his paw as he ran it across his mouth while throwing her a disgruntled sideways glance. Her eyes drifted to the ground and widened as she spotted small specks of blood dotting the green grass and curling ferns.

Allergies. He'd told her he had allergies, but surely they couldn't do that?

"There's no need to push yourself, buddy," said Switch. "We could have found another way around."

"Will you two stop worrying about me?!" Vector snapped.

He took in a ragged breath then shrugged Pixel's paw away. His reaction hurt a little and she held her paw to her chest as she watched after him. Something wasn't right. Part of her couldn't help thinking he was hiding something from her.

Switch ducked to place a hand on her head and she looked up into his reassuring smile. He didn't say anything, just ushered her on and they followed after the meowstic in silence. What Switch had said, however, seemed to have struck home. Every mess of cracks that blocked their way were scrutinised by Vector for a moment before he turned away and looked for another way around.

Knots of the wretched things blocked their path on several occasions and after a while it looked like they weren't going to make any more progress. It wasn't long until Pixel spotted the corkscrew tree, still free from its damaging crack, rising up on the opposite side she'd previously viewed it. From this angle she could see a warped hole at the top of it. Either damage from the crack or a hole made by a pokemon at some point in its existence – a hiding place an arboreal or flying pokemon had made as a child, long since abandoned. Whatever it was, she couldn't decide.

Still blindly following Vector, she scanned the branches of the trees. The only berries she spotted were mago and maranga, their sparse numbers clinging to the branches of twisted trees, or scattered on the ground where a hefty bough had been blasted from its trunk.

The dirt trail wound into a clearing and Pixel's paw crunched on something in the grass. She didn't need to look down to see what it was. The entire clearing was filled with egg shells, the tree trunks splattered with blood. It was becoming more obvious the two were linked.

She swallowed drily, hoping desperately that she didn't have to walk through it. Thankfully, Vector looked away from the clearing and stepped off the path, climbing over thick ferns to get deeper into the trees.

Heavy, bulging roots and tangled plants made the trek through the trees incredibly difficult and the three of them were exhausted when they found another path to follow. The smell of rotting fruit stung their noses, the culprit being scattered maranga berries crushed beneath the tree that had once held them. The tree lay across the path, its branches tangled with another tree that had been pulled down by the maranga in its fall. Corrupted binary code rose from the fallen tree and its damaged fruit amidst the zeroes and ones that Binary Jungle was famous for.

They were about to turn away from the tree, to put it behind them when a shrill scream cut through the air like a hot blade. Three pairs of eyes snapped to the foliage on the other side of the path and they froze. Every muscle in Pixel's body was taught as she braced herself to either fight or flee, but nothing else came. Just one scream. One, and that was it.

"What on earth was that?" Vector muttered.

He sprinted towards the foliage, leaving Pixel with an outstretched paw as she failed to stop him. Switch joined the meowstic, glancing back at her as he stepped over the ferns. She gave herself a mental shake and followed after them, scrambling as her feet tangled in the roots and stems of some hidden plant.

Switch vanished beyond a thick tree, bent over like a bridge where a violet crack cut through it. She ducked beneath it, spotting the black-tipped tails as they vanished into a bush. To any other pokemon, vanishing into a bush in this jungle filled with its deadly cracks would have been a foolish move. She decided to skirt around it instead, finding herself standing beside a rocky outcrop covered in moss and jungle plants. Trees wound and twisted atop it where a web of cracks covered it as though they were trying to keep whatever lived inside them trapped. The cracks stretched out over the canopy for as far as they could see, occasionally stretching down to the floor in a frozen, violet lightning bolt.

"Did you see who it was?" she finally asked.

"No," said Vector. "But whoever it was might have gone inside."

She followed his gaze to the outcrop. A deep cavern ran inside it, but the entrance was overgrown with plants. If anyone had resided inside, they didn't now. But that didn't mean whoever had screamed hadn't taken refuge in what was likely an empty cave.

"Should we look for them?" The waver in her voice didn't go unnoticed. "I mean... there's no saying they're definitely a virus victim, is there?"

Vector glanced at her then moved towards the cave, keeping his body low. She followed after him, her small form swallowed by Switch's shadow as he ducked to enter the cave mouth. He steadied himself by placing a hand on the ceiling as he crept after them.

The further they went the darker it became. Water dripped from somewhere deep inside, but the ground felt dry beneath her feet. Eventually, Vector came to a halt and she had to stop herself from walking into him.

"Is there a problem?" Switch asked.

"Yeah," said Vector. "It forks off here. One path moves up, the other goes down."

Pixel peered past him, squinting in the dim light. The path moving upwards looked a lot brighter, but something was flickering at the end of the other path. A deep, pink light that gradually changed to red, then purple, then blue. It was oddly familiar. Relaxing.

It reminded her of home.

"I think the upward path leads outside," she said.

"I was thinking that," said Vector. "But what's making that light further down?"

He didn't wait for a response, instead ducking down the narrow tunnel. She swallowed audibly then followed after him. If it weren't for the relaxing sensation the gradual, changing light was giving her she would have asked him to reconsider. The tunnel didn't give them much room, though. Her head was almost brushing the ceiling, causing her to duck down.

"Don't worry, I'm coming," said Switch.

The sound of his feathers brushing against the rough wall told her he'd opted to take on his talonflame form. He hadn't been left with much choice.

As the tunnel wound to their right, someone yelled. Every hair went on end and she froze, eyes searching the tunnel ahead. She thought she saw someone dart out of the way. Someone small.

Then they yelled again. Constantly. Screaming as they fled down the tunnel.

Vector scurried along, keeping himself low. It was all she could do to keep up with him. Her breath was coming in heavy bursts, a mix of exhaustion and fear. Finally, the tunnel ended, spreading out into a wide room. The source of the light lay in the form of a rocket-shaped lamp atop a desk, accompanied by computer monitors.

The lamp, like the light, was familiar. She could see it now. On a desk as she sat beside her friend, working on an investigation. It wasn't possible... why was it here?

A small, black pokemon floated in the air, its form that of a letter A. Pixel recognised it as something she'd only seen in picture books, but the name of its species escaped her. They darted back and forth, drawing the attention of the other pokemon in the room. Two of them, also small and black, turned their single eyes to look at their screaming companion. An X and an exclamation point.

"Really, Alarm," one of them said, although it was hard to guess which one since they lacked mouths. "What is it... now..."

The exclamation's eye widened and the X followed its gaze to the group of pokemon who had barged into their den.

"Is there a problem?" This voice was female, and Pixel felt her heart leap into her chest.

The odd light. The lamp. That voice. All so familiar.

Her hands clasped to her mouth when she saw the familiar pink, feline form float out from beneath the desk, a pair of white-framed glasses clasped in her paw. One lens was blue, the other red. Her pale blue eyes widened with surprise, causing her paw to freeze part way to her head and the glasses to clatter to the floor.

"Pixel?" said the mew.

It couldn't be... Pixel shook her head in disbelief. She had to be dreaming? She lowered her paws from her mouth to speak, the lone word alarming her two friends.

"Retro?"

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	30. Retro's Research Facility

**A/N - First, some good news! I've finished writing this fanfic! Just some tweaking on the last chapter and epilogue needs to be done, but it's pretty much finished! That means there is going to be an additional update on Wednesdays as I try to get this all uploaded before Sun and Moon come out!**

 **Also, I don't know about the rest of you, but I imagine both Amp and X talking with thick, British accents...**

29 – Retro's Research Facility

The only sound in the cavern was the gentle humming from the computer fans. Every pokemon had fallen into silence as the two groups stared at each other in bewilderment, albeit Pixel's group were all staring at the pink mew who bobbed in the air before them – Switch with a look of complete and utter shock and Vector with a mixed expression of surprise and irritation. Pixel, however, was close to tears.

"I don't believe this," she finally breathed out. "We... we've been looking for you and... and you..."

Retro reached out a paw towards her. "Pixel, I-"

"All this time you were here." The mawile raised her voice, letting her paws fall to her sides. "You were here and you never thought to contact us?!"

"And I have a good reason. If you'll let me explain-"

"Leaf thought you were dead!" Pixel's fur bristled down her spine. "He wouldn't admit it, but I could tell!"

Retro let out an exasperated sigh and ran a paw over her head. "Pixel, calm down!"

The look in the mew's blue eyes was not one of anger. Pixel tried to steady her breathing, but her paws were still balled tightly into fists. Vector placed a paw on her shoulder and she felt her body relax slightly. He wasn't looking at her, though. His eyes were still fixed on the mew, and any previous irritation had melted away.

The little, black exclamation pokemon cleared his throat and his eye flicked around the room at the tense group.

"Well, I'll go put the kettle on, shall I?" He drifted towards a small, round door at the back of the room.

Retro breathed out through her mouth and floated backwards into her chair. "Quick thinking, Amp. That should break some ice, I guess?"

The other two odd little pokemon eyed them curiously before drifting further into the room, allowing Pixel and her friends a bit of freedom to move. All tension had left her body and she moved cautiously towards the mew.

"So... what are you doing here?" she asked. "What happened to Nano and Chip?"

Retro's eyes closed and she looked away from her, turning her chair to face her computer. "They... they caught the virus."  
"And you?"

"That's why I'm here," she explained. "Oddly enough I didn't catch it. I don't understand why at all. But it was safer, and easier, for me to research it. To focus all my attention on it, and to do that I had to separate myself from Cyan Island."

"But why not tell us?!" Pixel could feel her eyes welling with tears again.

Retro turned to fix her with hard eyes. "Can you honestly say you would have stayed put up there? Or would you have tried to join me?"  
Pixel's mouth hung open wordlessly. She wasn't sure how to take this at all. Had Retro just abandoned them? She hadn't wanted their help?

A huge sigh came from Switch and he moved forwards, brushing an unimpressed Vector aside with his wing.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But this mawile has been looking for you. Not just her, but the entire island, or what was left of it. Would it really have hurt you to contact them and let them know? Because they haven't exactly been staying put and focusing on all their jobs. I mean... I found her in Raster City trying to track you down." He placed a wing on Pixel's back.

Retro looked from the mawile to the talonflame and back before turning back to her computer. "I never said it was a well thought out plan."

Clinking and clattering drew their attention to the small door and the little exclamation floated out of it, balancing a tea tray on his head. The cups and teapot jumped about as he tried to keep the tray level.

"Here we go," he said. "Nothing like a nice cup of tea to calm the nerves, hey?"

Retro quickly grabbed the tray from him and set it on a low table. There was a small sofa in the room alongside three computer desks and a coffee table, but the pile of papers on the table suggested it was most likely there simply to deter beverages from next to the expensive machinery.

"Listen," Retro began. "After Nano and Chip became... infected... I didn't know what to do. At the moment one of them – Chip – is in the hospital, but Nano sadly didn't make it. I decided I wanted to focus solely on figuring out this virus. How it works, why it's here and how to get rid of it, so I hid in the Binary Jungle, well out of reach of Cyan Island's circuit. I know I should have told you, but I didn't want you following me." She retrieved a steaming cup off Amp and fixed a pair of worried eyes onto Pixel. "I didn't want to risk losing anyone else."

Pixel stared down at her feet, letting the mew's words wash over her. It made sense, it really did. But it still hurt.

"We've been worried sick," she muttered. "We've been searching for all three of you. I thought I might have found Nano in the hospital. So I guess it wasn't her?"

Retro shook her head sadly. "No. I'm sorry, Pixel. It turned her into a water type. There was no way to even get her there."

"Why not?"

"Do you even know how the virus works?" Retro looked up at her, and seeing the blank, unimpressed expression on her face she went on. "If the virus turns a pokemon into a type it's weak against, there's no way to save their life."

Pixel felt her chest knot and she swallowed a lump that threatened to rise in her throat. Part of her had guessed as much, but having it confirmed as true to her made her feel physically sick. Nano hadn't made it... that poor charmander. She wound her claws together and stared down at her paws.

"So why did you choose here?" Switch waved a wing at the cavern. "Why set up a new team if you didn't want to involve your current one?"

"My thoughts exactly," said Vector. He leant against the table and fixed his ice blue eyes onto Retro.

"I didn't start up the team," she said. "It already existed."

"Yes, x-actly," said the X-shaped pokemon. "We were investigating the cracks that had taken over the jungle. X-tremely frustrating they are, too. They've claimed two of our members as it is."

Retro smiled at the little pokemon. "Yes, when I arrived here I stumbled upon this cave. The unown have been a huge help to me."

A light went on in Pixel's brain and she looked to the three odd pokemon. Unown! That's what they were called. She could almost see them clearly in the picture books she used to read.

"When we realised I was immune to the virus," Retro went on, "they asked me to help them lead their operation."

"So you're immune?" Vector looked from Retro to Pixel. "Like Pixel is?"

"And us as well," Switch told him.

Vector closed his eyes and shrugged.

"Wait." Retro rose from her chair and eyed the three of them curiously. "You're all immune to the virus?"

"X-traordinary!" the unown X exclaimed.

"I don't understand this," said Retro. "But it's fantastic!" Her eyes went to Vector and she scratched behind her ear in thought. "But... I'm puzzled to your appearance."

"Look, why don't we all discuss it over some tea?" Amp, somehow, poured out two more cups and nudged them to Pixel and Vector in turn.

"I agree," said Retro. "It's all a lot to take in."

"Yeh, I know! I can't bayleef it!" said the unown X. "It's x-tremely onix-pected."

"Please excuse X," said Amp. "He likes to speak in puns, and most of what he says is total jibberish."

"Actually, most of what I say is A-class." X closed his eye. "It's only jibberish to you because you never listen."

"Boys! Stop bickering." Retro shook her head, but her mouth was turned up into a fond smile.

Pixel couldn't help but smile herself. She relaxed back onto a spare chair and sipped at her hot cup of tea.

"So." Retro smiled at her and her two friends. "I think we should introduce ourselves now the initial surprise is over? By now you must know that my name's Retro. These three are Amp, X and Alarm." She pointed to the exclamation, X and A in turn.

Pixel smiled at the unown then nodded to her friends. "These are Switch and Vector. Switch is actually a human."

"Oh!" Tea sloshed over Retro's cup and she lowered it to the table, reaching for a napkin. "Excuse me, that took me by surprise."

It wasn't just Retro who'd been taken by surprise. Each unown fixed a wide eye on the talonflame. Alarm had ducked behind the teapot. She peered back out at Switch, her tiny body quivering.

Switch chuckled. "Then I guess it's a good thing you all haven't seen me change shape yet."

Retro stuttered a little. "Did... did you become a ditto?"

Pixel tried to stifle a laugh behind her paw. Even Vector was trying his best not to laugh.

"No, no. Just a talonflame." Switch raised a claw to indicate his watch. "I'm one of the two who kept switching back and forth, hence my name. A friend of mine designed this watch and it stabilises my form, allowing me to change at the press of a button."

"Wow." Retro shook her head in disbelief. "I've never seen a human before, actually."

"And I'd never seen a mew before," he said. "Only in books. Is it true you can learn every move known to pokemon?"

Retro grinned and adjusted her glasses on her head. "Well, yes. We can. But we have to go through the effort of learning it first."

"And you can transform as well?"

"If we know how, yes."

"We?!" Switch looked like he was about to pass out from shock. He placed his cup back on the table and sat down. "Wow. There's more than one?"

Retro burst into laughter. "Of course! Where do you think I came from?"

Switch seemed to blush under his feathers and he picked up his cup, sipping silently as he stared at a blank spot on the far wall.

Retro turned to Vector now and beamed. "So. What's your story? I've never seen a meowstic your colour before."

Vector frowned and stared into his cup. For a moment Pixel thought he wasn't going to say anything, but he took in a deep breath to prepare himself.

"Actually, I had the virus," he said. "Or something... I don't quite know what went on."

Retro was all ears as Vector relayed his story, explaining what had happened at the Fracture – the explosion, his change in appearance, his experience at the hospital. She'd seemed very surprised and relieved to hear Pixel, Switch and N00b had rescued him, and even more surprised that the hospital was going to such extreme means to obtain a cure. When she heard he could erase the black cracks, the mew and unown exchanged glances and she span her chair back to her computer.

" _You_ erased them?!"

Vector looked up at her, his eyes wide. "Yeah. Why?"

"I've been wondering what's been going on. We've been trying to track them, to follow the paths that have been opened. It's been... strange. In places where there were once villages there's nought but rubble and eggs."

"The egg shells..." Pixel placed her now cold and half-empty cup back on the table and joined Pixel at her computer. The information on the screen was too complex for her to absorb much at a glance.

Retro looked up at her briefly. "You've seen them?"

"Yes. There were a lot of fragments just... lying on the ground."

"That's because they exploded."

"Exploded?" Pixel's voice was joined by Switch and Vector's as they rushed to join her.

Retro nodded and made a 'hmm'. "I can't explain it. Believe me. But..." She rubbed at her temples as she tried to find the right words.

"It was like they hatched," said X. "They hatched with a 'boom!' then x-ploded again." The two tentacles on his head drooped. "It was awful."

Pixel stared at the unown with her mouth agape. That explained the blood on the trees.

"Do you think it's an anomaly from the Fracture?" Vector asked.

Retro leant on her paws and sighed. "I really don't know. But I'm worried about those eggs. I feel like... they're wrong. Not just wrong because they explode, but because they appeared after the cracks were erased. Much like how when a pokemon is touched by the virus, they change. They're wrong."

"So the cracks are gone," Pixel said slowly, "but what they touched are contaminated?"

"Yes. You see, there are two more unown here. K and G. When we were investigating the cracks, Gyro touched one and he turned into rock. K then caught it and began to turn to water, but the both of them have entered a state of hibernation which has stopped the virus' progression and seemingly made it harmless to the rest of us in the process. They were in here with us, but as a precaution I've moved them into their own room out of the way." She glanced to an empty spot in the corner then turned back to the computer. "My theory is if the cracks can do that to pokemon, and if they can distort trees and buildings, then what are they doing to the world in general? They're infecting it. The virus is coming from the cracks."

"But we found the virus first," said Pixel.

"Yes, because it spreads. It started at the Fracture and moved along much faster than the cracks." Retro looked over at Vector who was shifting uneasily, his mind deep in thought. "Vector?"

He looked up at her with a start. Pixel could tell from the look on his face he'd been blaming himself yet again. It stung her.

"I'm thinking," the mew said slowly, "that if you can erase those cracks... can you erase the virus?"

His eyes widened and he looked away from her, searching for the right response as the shock of her question overwhelmed him. "I... I don't know... maybe?"

"Since you're immune to it, you could give it a try? I can take you to Gyro and K."

The other three unown floated silently behind them, blinking their single eyes as they stared from the meowstic to the mew. Switch was doing the same, equally stunned at Retro's question.

"I... I'm not sure that's the best idea," said Switch.

Retro craned her neck round to fix him with a raised eyebrow. "Why not? He's not got anything to lose if he can't catch it."

The skin above Switch's beak crinkled but he said nothing, instead looking to Vector who let out a sigh and shrugged.

"Fine, I can give it a go," he said.

"Wonderful!" Retro rose from her seat with a flourish.

Switch looked uncertain, like he wanted to say something else. But whatever it was vanished as his phone rang loudly. He gave an irritated sigh and edged towards the back of the room, crouching down as low as he could go.

"Do excuse me," he said. "I need to change since... well... I can't reach it."

Safely out of the way, he took on his human form and sat – uncomfortably – beside the entrance to the tunnels. He raised both eyebrows at his phone and answered it.

"Hey, N00b."

N00b's voice was frantic, chilling Pixel to the core. "Switch? I'm sorry. I can't find you."

"We're beneath a mound," Switch explained. "It's covered by cracks so you might not see it."

"I can't see anything! The whole jungle is buried under those things. I'm sorry, Switch. I really wanted to tell you this in person. Are you with Pixel?"

"Yes, and you're on speaker phone. I have no choice, I'm afraid. It's tight in here." His voice softened when he heard the lillipup whimper. "What's up?"  
"It's Leaf..." the terrier pokemon choked. "We got out of the car and he kicked an egg shell. He caught the virus, there was nothing I could do!"  
Switch's face fell and Pixel slammed her paws into her mouth, biting down on her knuckles as she tried to stem the tears that flowed from her eyes. She could hear Retro beside her as she wailed out a 'No!' and slumped back into her seat.

"Did you get him to a hospital?" Switch asked.

"They wouldn't be able to do anything," N00b explained. "He just... burst into flames."  
Pixel couldn't believe it. She shook her head, backing away from Switch, wanting to put as much distance between herself and reality as she could. Her back brushed against Vector and she felt his warm arm wrap around her, pulling her into him until her face was buried into his chest. She could hear Retro's sobs from the desk beside her, and it only served to worsen her own. Her claws wrapped into Vector's ruff and her body shook as tears flowed down her cheeks and soaked into his fur.

"I'm really sorry," N00b sobbed. "I'm afraid he's dead." He took in a rattly breath and his voice came out clearer. "I'm gonna take Nybble and Byte back to Spool with me. If you need us... we'll be there. Take care, Switch. All of you. _Please_."

Switch was silent for a moment, but she couldn't see what he was doing. She daren't look up. N00b's voice rang out again, shouting Switch's name. Finally, the human answered.

"Don't worry, buddy. We will. Drive safe. Land if you need to."

She heard the phone cut off. A ruffle of feathers as Switch returned to his pokemon form. But she didn't look up.

' _If the virus turns a pokemon into a type it's weak against, there's no way to save their life._ '

Vector brushed a paw over her back and she clung tightly to him as she gave in to her tears, a low wail coming from deep in her chest.

Nothing they could do.

The virus had claimed one more.

...

 **Please R &R**


	31. Heartache

**A/N - Thank you all for the reviews, faves, follows and reads! =D Whenever I finish a story I've been working on for ages, I miss the characters. The ones I'm going to miss the most from this are Vector and Switch...**

30 – Heartache

The cavern had fallen into silence. Retro had retired to her room to be alone, leaving Pixel and her friends to find their own rooms. The unown, Amp, had led them down the narrow tunnel quietly, leaving Pixel at her door. Before he left, he quickly gave his condolences and promised he'd be back soon with something to eat.

She had no appetite.

The room was small, its décor consisting of nothing more than a neatly made bed and a dusty chest of drawers with a mirror hanging above it. The window was misted over with dirt, making it nigh impossible to see outside. It wouldn't have surprised her if these rooms had been here long before Retro had moved in. Maybe the unown had lived with other pokemon who had unfortunately contracted the virus, but she had no desire to ask.

She gave the bed one small glance before she returned to the door, slipping out into the corridor. Unlike Retro, she didn't want to be alone, and she hated the thought of her poor friend being alone at a time like this. The mew had taken the same tunnel to get to her room. All she had to do was check which one it was.

As she passed by the room across from her, Vector shifted towards the door, his blue eyes wide with concern. He didn't say anything, however. Just watched her as she passed by his door. She resisted the urge to throw herself into his arms again, instead wrapping her arms tightly around herself. She needed to find Retro. She had to know she was okay. As she moved further down the tunnel she could feel his eyes on her back but she tried her best to tune it out as she glanced through the next few doors. The rooms were empty.

Retro's room was situated towards the end of the tunnel, a soft light coming through the one clean window in the whole tunnel. She could see the mew's pink form huddled up on the bed, her face pressed into a pillow that she had clutched tightly in her arms. The window above the bed was also clean with a clear view of the jungle floor where she could see ferns waving gently in the breeze.

A few muffled sobs were audible through the door, stabbing Pixel like daggers. She bit her lip to stifle her own tears and pushed the door open.

"Retro?"

The mew's sobs paused as she looked up at her with tear-filled eyes. "Pixel?"

Pixel stood staring at her for a heartbeat then closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry. You... you can't be alone..."

Her voice choked off and she diverted her gaze around the room. The soft light was coming from a stack of colourful cubes on her desk. A strange lamp she'd never really understood since it seemed to make everything look the wrong colour.

Retro pushed herself up on one arm while still clutching the pillow in the other and fixed her large blue eyes on the mawile.

"I can't believe it," she choked out.

Pixel shook her head sharply and scooted over to her, joining her on the bed. "Neither can I..."

Retro deposited her pillow beside her and let her head rest on Pixel's shoulder. The mawile looped a paw around her and hugged her tight, her eyes drifting once again to her desk. There, facing the bed, was a photo frame. The same picture as the one Leaf had in his bedroom. The mew was floating behind him with her paws clasped over his eyes, the both of them laughing. She could almost hear it as her mind went back to that day, long before the virus appeared.

Retro's small voice drew her attention back to her. "I never got to tell him, you know."

Pixel felt her heart would break and she ran her small paw over the mew's shoulder. She'd known. It had been obvious to her.

"Before I left with Nano and Chip," Retro went on, "I wanted to tell him how I felt. But I was worried it might damage things. He was one of my best friends, and I didn't want to just leave it in the air like that."

"That's understandable," said Pixel. "And you couldn't have known." Her voice choked again and she wiped a tear away from her eye.

"No." Retro took in a ragged breath and wiped her paw across her face. "Just promise me something, Pixel?"

The mawile tried to look down at her, but her muzzle brushed her pink ear instead. "Hmm?"

"Don't put it off like I did."

"What do you mean?" Pixel loosened her grip slightly so she could see the mew's face.

Retro shifted so was sitting up and leant back against the wall, holding the pillow to her chest. She wiped at her eyes and face to dry them and took a steadying breath. It was a relief to Pixel to see she looked more settled now, but her nose scrunched up slightly as she stifled a fresh flow of tears.

"I've seen the way you and Vector look at each other," she said. "Even though you've only been here a little while and I don't know him well at all, I've known you since we were hatchlings. It's obvious. I know that virus is running rampant, it's a dangerous world right now, but don't leave it. You'll both regret it."  
She hugged the pillow tightly and let herself fall sideways as she curled up into a tight ball. Pixel watched her, her words stinging at her chest. Fresh tears stung her eyes and she looked away from the sobbing mew.

"You shouldn't be worrying about me right now." She scooted closer to her and ran a paw over her ears.

Retro discarded the pillow and pulled her down into a crushing hug, letting her tears soak through her fur. Pixel fastened her arms around her and joined her, sobbing between her ears.

...

Vector twiddled his thumbs together, his eyes going back and forth from the door. Switch's feathered form was huddled up on the bed, breathing softly as he slept. Vector had refused to go to his own room. He didn't trust himself. He knew he'd likely go looking for Pixel even though he knew she'd gone to see Retro. They both needed time to themselves, but he was worried sick.

The recent events hurt him as well, but what hurt him even more was knowing she was hurting. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her. To make everything better, but that wasn't remotely within his power.

But there was something he might be able to do...

If there was any way he might be able to stop this happening again, then...

He stared down at his paws. Those same paws that had erased those cracks.

' _I'm thinking... that if you can erase those cracks... can you erase the virus?_ '

Retro's question ran through is mind, and not for the first time. The more he'd thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make. And the more he thought about what Pixel and her friend were going through, the more he wanted to try it.

He couldn't make everything better, but if he could help provide any hope that this virus wasn't the be all and end all, then he'd do that. Even if it killed him.

And with the effect erasing the cracks had on his body, then it very well might.

He rose to his feet and shuffled towards the door. No sooner had the catch clicked open, Switch lifted his head and fixed two, small yellow eyes onto the back of his head.

"Vector? Where are you going?" His voice wasn't the slightest bit pleased.

"Don't ruffle your feathers," Vector grunted. "I'm just going to find those two unown." When Switch didn't answer he turned his head to look at him. "The ones with the virus."

Switch's eyes widened slowly as a look of realisation crossed his features. "You can't be serious?"

Vector turned away from him and stepped out of the door. Rustling feathers followed after him as Switch's talons scraped and skittered over the floor.

"Retro isn't in any state to let you in there," Switch told him.

"I didn't say I was going to ask her."

Switch clicked his beak together in frustration, but he didn't stop following after him as he checked each of the rooms they passed. The windows weren't clean enough to see clearly inside, but Vector could tell they were empty save for the sparse furniture. Each room was closed off by a steel door that sported a lock the likes of which he'd never seen except in history books. Ones that needed a metal key to open, rather than a card and reader.

Once he reached the end of the tunnel, he could hear Pixel and Retro's conversation. Well, not all of it. Some of it was lost behind the door. He tuned it out and kept pressing forward. Surely all the rooms couldn't be empty? This was the only tunnel out of the main cavern besides the one that lead to the kitchen.

As he checked the final room he was about to give up. Maybe he'd not seen through the windows clearly enough to spot the two unown? But that thought was shattered when he spotted two shapes propped up against the left wall in a room that had nothing more than a bed and set of drawers situated beside each other. With a new energy, he tried the handle.

Locked.

A frown twisted his features and he stood back from the door, preparing to blast it open with a counter attack.

"Wait." Switch lay a wing on his shoulders and the meowstic stood aside. "You don't want to smash it open. Let me try."

"What can you do?" Vector asked. "You go human in this place you'll break your neck."

"I have my ways."

"What, you gonna burn it down?" Vector folded his arms and snorted. "Might as well have just let me bust the lock off. It would have been less messy."

"I was going to pick the lock with a talon," said Switch. "But if you really think blowing the door up is going to win you some brownie points then go ahead."

Vector waved a paw at him and looked away, his eyes going to the door three rooms down. Closed. He couldn't hear their conversation from here. Good. He didn't want to get caught up in it.

The only sound that reached him was the scraping of Switch's talon in the lock. It twanged away at something inside, something that sounded like a spring. After a few moments it snapped. A soft chunk made his ears stand on end and he looked back at the door and the rather jubilant talonflame.

Switch threw the door open and gestured with his wing. "Voila!"

"Well done." Vector struck his side with a paw then went inside.

"I think that was sarcasm," said Switch.

"You can think what you want."  
The two unown lay against the wall. The G's body looked like stone, while the K was almost entirely water, its form preserved in what he could only describe as frozen time. The very tip of its tentacle had a water drop hanging from it, motionless, while beneath it was a puddle that he felt if he touched would be solid.

"I really don't think we should be here, Vector," said Switch. "Not while Retro is like this."

"As sad as it is that Leaf died, Switch, the virus is still out there taking lives." Vector looked over his shoulder at him. "Besides, you're the one who unlocked the door."

"Only because I didn't want you blasting it off its hinges."

Vector shrugged and looked back down at the unown. "Believe it or not I'm more accurate with counter than you think."

The meowstic crouched down before the two unown. Close up they appeared to only be sleeping, which was technically the case. He didn't know much about unown, but they could hibernate quite deeply. So much so their bodies just... stopped working. It was an odd way to think about it. To stop working sounds like they basically died, but that wasn't the case. It was a form of stasis. Like every other pokemon, unown were mortal – the virus was clear enough evidence of that – but they had this weird ability to just sleep away time.

It might be described by some as a form of time travel, but in real time. However, for the unown, they'd go to sleep then wake up again over a hundred years later.

That would certainly explain the locks and rather old fashioned look of the place.

He had a million questions he wanted to ask about it. How did they wake up? Did someone have to wake them, or did they just know? How old were they really? (Physically, not chronologically).

It would all have to wait.

He held out one paw, staring down at his pads as he flexed his claws. He couldn't deny he was apprehensive. There was a distinct possibility this wouldn't even work. Even if it did, it could kill him. Every time he removed one of those cracks it just worsened his condition. Made him weaker. The same went for the moves he knew. Every counter or mirror coat was just one step further to never waking up again.

But he wasn't doing this for himself. Not any more. He was doing this for Pixel, Retro, and every other pokemon who was either suffering the virus or worried about their loved ones.

If he hadn't designed that bomb, if he hadn't come up with the stupid idea to set it off inside the Fracture, none of this would have happened.

He placed his paw on the body of the unown G, cold stone penetrating his soft pads.

 _Crack!_

The stone vanished in a flash, similar to how the cracks just vanished. The unown's single eye flew wide open, fixing on the meowstic's face. The unown flew into the air, circling above them as it darted around the room, shouting something that fell on deaf ears.

Vector was exhausted.

He fell sideways, holding himself up with a trembling arm. Warm blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth which he weakly wiped away.

Switch said nothing. He moved closer to him, looking from him to the unown then to the one still frozen in time.

There were more voices now. Retro and Pixel, and the other unown as they bolted into the room, only to be forced back out by the mew. But Vector didn't process what they were saying. He just sat staring at the poor unown K.

So the doctors were right. He did have the cure.

A heavy lump rose in his throat as he realised there was no possible way he'd survive long enough to deliver it to everyone.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	32. Experiment

**A/N - Not updating yesterday was just me being lazy and disorganized. It's NaNoWriMo, and I'm working on three different projects, one of which is on my laptop. I wanted to work on that one yesterday and by the time I'd finished - about 3 hours later - my eyes were tired and I didn't want to turn the desktop on and sit and review over a chapter. I'm kinda glad I left it, tbh. I had quite a bit to tweak.**

 **It does mean, however, that there will be two updates in a row, since I'm posting another chapter tomorrow!**

 **Also - of course I love Pixel. I'm just super fond of Switch and Vector lol.**

31 – Experiment

Cracks zigged, zagged, ducked and wound throughout the towns and small cities at the northern end of the Backbone Mountain. Hertz watched the Marowak silently as he paced back and forth, muttering things to Mirror who repeated them back as he jotted them down on his computer tablet. Bootstrap was particularly interested in the cracks – where they came from and what exactly they did. Hertz couldn't say he was interested. His feelings on the matter were deeply rooted in fear. Those things contaminated whatever they touched. That much was proven by every pebble, wood or other solid object the marowak tossed at them. They glided through, coming out the other end shrouded by that strange jibberish that rose into the air like steam.

But the gallade's mind was elsewhere. Focused on locating that meowstic. He was beginning to wonder if he was clutching at straws. If hunting him down was no more fruitful than tossing rocks at those anomalies. Regardless, he'd sent Sample and Mono on the hunt. How they travelled towards the rogue drifting continent was up to them. He'd tried all he could think of, even going so far as to ask a mental health patient to help him.

He mentally face-palmed at that one. That poor girl was in no state to help him. Not to mention her pokemon form was about as good at flying as he was swimming, and that was to say not very. Sure, he could swim a little, but then his body would complain and his paws would go numb, and more often than not he'd have to be rescued by a life guard.

Bootstrap's cry of surprise drew him violently out of his thoughts and he brought the marrowak and wobbuffet into focus. The pair of them seemed to be cheering.

They'd found one.

One of the black cracks that makes whatever touches it disappear.

Bootstrap rushed to his van and dragged a heavy piece of machinery back out with him. Hertz knew exactly what it was. It was a computer. The monitor was attached to one end, mounted on a detachable frame and connected to the contraption by a cable. A long, winding camera protruded from the other end on a flexible neck which was controlled by the touch screen computer.

Bootstrap wanted to see what was on the other side of those cracks, and whether or not this would work remained to be seen. They'd already seen what damage these cracks could do to their world. They either shattered things or distorted them.

The marowak removed the tablet and controlled the machine to move towards the anomaly. The camera flexed up and down until it was level with it, then inched forwards carefully. Hertz wound his paws together as he watched it with anxious eyes.

Surely, just like everything else, the machine would suffer.

The long camera reached the crack, and sure enough the neck distorted and twisted. Bootstrap swore under his breath but then his eyes widened and he grabbed the gallade by the wrist.

"Hertz! Mirror! Look at this!"

The two pokemon peered over his shoulder at the monitor. There, on the screen, was the camera's footage. Distorted, and virtually unreadable.

"It's damaged, Bootstrap," said Hertz.

"Maybe so, but it's got footage of... of... is it a world?"

"Is it our world?" Mirror asked. "It could just be what it was sending back before it entered."

Hertz was about to agree, but there was one thing missing.

"There's no cracks," he said. "It can't be our world."

Buildings stretched out as far as he could see on the monitor, and beyond that what looked like a mountain structure. It was hard to see since the whole scenery was marred by that strange code. signs and ampersands, exclamation and question marks, amongst other things filled the screen in neat rows, changing before their eyes so fast it was almost headache inducing.

"We can't see anything else," said Bootstrap. "The neck won't work."

"But it's still something," said Mirror. "I mean... is there a chance that could be the human world?"

Hertz's eyes widened at the thought. "You mean there might be a way to send them back?"

It wasn't possible. Was it? That these cracks may actually lead to the human world? His heart was racing. If this was true, then that meant every missing pokemon might be in the human world. All they had to do was let them pass through these cracks. The ones that made things seemingly vanish.

"I don't know," Bootstrap finally said. "If it is their world... then what if it actually looks like this?"

Hertz stared once again at the monitor. At that strange code. Those buildings and mountain shrouded in it.

The image now unsettled him.

"What if that's where the virus has come from?" As the words left his mouth, the marrowak and wobbuffet looked at him.

"I was thinking the same thing." Bootstrap looked up at his machine and let out a hefty sigh. "It looks like the Fracture may have done more damage than we initially thought."

Mirror scratched his head and exchanged glances with the gallade.

"Do you think..." Mirror glanced back down at the computer. "Do you think it _destroyed_ their world?"

Bootstrap let out another flustered sigh. "I think it's a very high possibility, yes. But since the crack may have interfered with our computer, we won't know for certain."

...

Pixel was completely and utterly stunned.

The unown G was still flying around the room, his cries a combination of surprise, fear and joy. Retro was trying to calm him, to get him out of the room to safety, but to no avail. When Switch had tried to herd him out with a large wing, Gyro had just struck him with a flash of light and knocked him back into the wall. In the end, Switch had excused himself to keep the other three unown company in the tunnel.

The poor unown was completely overwhelmed, and would occasionally dart down from the ceiling to examine his friend. The unown K was still deeply asleep, still formed of motionless liquid.

And as far as Retro was concerned, still posed a threat to the unown who hadn't been proven immune.

Vector sat staring at the unown K with a look of bewilderment on his face. His breath was coming in quick bursts and his entire body was trembling.

Pixel couldn't blame him. Knowing he had this ability the whole time must have come as quite a shock. It had certainly surprised her.

"Gyro! Please!" Retro implored. "You need to leave this room before you-"

"No!" The unown paused beside the K and placed a tendril on their watery body, fixing his lone eye on Vector. "Not until you cure her, too!"  
Retro's paws were clasped tightly over her mouth, but as they watched Gyro, waiting anxiously for the virus to take hold once more, nothing happened.

Retro lowered her paws, her blue eyes impossibly wide. "You... you're immune now?"

Gyro looked up at Retro, then at his tendril, seemingly unaware he'd been touching his contaminated friend. He snatched it back then stared at it in bewilderment.

Retro turned her attention onto Vector, who was now staring at his paws with a look that matched the unown's perfectly.

"I don't understand," Retro muttered. "Maybe you just can't have this virus twice? Getting over it leaves you with the ability to fight it off?"  
Pixel wound the hem of her scarf around her paws, not taking her eyes off the two unown. "I don't..."

As her voice trailed off, Retro looked down at her. "How did you find out you were immune, Pixel?"

"I was grabbed," she said. "By what I thought was a virus victim. They were slimy and grabbed my ankle with a tentacle."

The mew's eyes went from Pixel to Vector, but her question was still aimed at the mawile. "And nothing happened to you?"

"No... I was fine."

Retro made a thoughtful noise and scratched her ear. "I wonder if this has anything to do with you? Vector?"

The meowstic snapped back to reality at the sound of his name. It took a moment for recognition to register in his eyes as he processed the mew's question.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "You think I made her immune?"

Retro shrugged and looked down at herself. "Well, I really don't know. I found I was immune myself, so it's not impossible that Pixel is too. So I didn't think much of it. But seeing Gyro touch someone with the virus and come back clean, after only having it himself a few minutes ago, makes me wonder if you're carrying some kind of antibody."

Vector stared at his paws again. The look on his face was clear he wasn't disagreeing with Retro, but it was certainly hard to believe.

A soft tap at the door drew their attention and the small form of Amp bobbed before the glass.

"I have an idea!" he said, loud enough to be heard clearly.

Retro floated towards the door. "What is it?"

"Vector can remove the virus, right?" Amp began. "So if he were to touch me, then I touched K and came back clean, we'd know if he acts as a sort of vaccine. If I catch it, he can wipe it away."

Retro shook her head slowly, then more dramatically and screwed her eyes shut. "No! What if you become a type you're weak to? Like bug or dark? I can't allow that!"

"Calm down, m'lady!" Amp exclaimed. "There's eighteen pokemon types! I could become one of fourteen more if I don't stay the type I am now! The odds are hardly against me."

Retro was silent, hugging her arms across her chest as she stared at the door, no longer looking at the exclamation. Pixel didn't know what to say. Part of what Amp had said made sense, but at the same time it was a huge risk, and they'd lost a close friend already.

"I agree with him," said Vector. "It's a risk, but it's worth it."

Retro craned her neck to look over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What?"

Vector didn't look up at her. Instead he was still staring at his paw. "I don't know why I'm like this. I don't understand this ability. Why I can remove cracks and wipe the virus. But if I can save lives by acting as a vaccine then we need to know that. Don't we?"

Retro didn't say anything, but the look of anger had left her face.

"We've already lost a good friend today," he went on. "If there's a way to prevent losing more lives then I'm willing to try it."

The room fell into silence again. Retro looked like she wanted to say something while she warred with conflicting emotions of anger and relief that there might be a solution. The silence was only broken when X joined Amp at the window.

"I would also like to be a part of this x-periment!"

Retro looked back at the door then sighed. "Okay. But... be careful. If anything seems wrong, then back out."

Before she'd finished her sentence, the door opened and the two unown flew into the room, followed by Switch and a very nervous Alarm. The little A bobbed beside Retro's shoulder, her body trembling as she watched her two friends take on a massive risk.

Amp went first, letting Vector touch what one would assume was his head, then X. They stood beside K together then looked at each other.

"Ready?" Amp asked. "We'll do it on three!"

"That makes things x-tremely tense. I think it should be random."

Amp let out a flustered sigh and rolled his eye. "Fine. Be as random as you like."

"No... wait!" Switch stretched out a wing to stop the unown, but he was too late.

X struck the K with a tendril. Every breath in the room froze, throwing it into complete silence. Amp's eye widened with surprise as his own tendril froze in mid-air, but the X's body stayed as oily black as ever.

"Oh wow," said X. "I'm okay. I honestly did not see that one coming."

Amp let his breath out and closed his eye, letting his 'hand' touch the K's side.

Nothing happened.

"I don't believe it." Retro slumped to the floor as every muscle in her body relaxed. "They're okay."

Switch's beak was hanging open. "Amazing... I..." He rubbed his head with his wing and slumped to the floor.

Pixel's heart was pounding. She turned her attention to Vector who was staring at the unown and shaking his head.

All this time the doctors had been right. Somehow, in some way, Vector had an antidote.

The trembling little unown A bobbed towards him, sliding her body under his arm. He glanced down at her just as she darted away from him to quickly touch her contaminated friend. Her scream pierced the room, making everyone leap to their feet and Retro to let out a distressed yell.

Nothing.

A stood beside the K, her body shaking entirely as she stared at her right tendril.

"Good grief, Alarm!" Amp exclaimed. "You almost gave me a premature heart attack!"

"Yes, that was x-tremely unnecessary," said X. "Look what you've done to Retro. She's gone as pale as a froslass."

Retro sobbed into her paws then took in a long, trembling breath as she looked back up at her friends.

"I don't believe it," she said again. "There's an answer."

"I'm not so sure," said Switch. "Something doesn't add up. The unown might just be immune."

"They can't be!" said Retro. "There are too many cases of pokemon catching this virus. For three to be immune out of five makes no sense."

"But thinking back, Leaf touched him." Switch nodded to Vector. "I so wanted this to work, but I've thinking back to see if we'd missed anything. We had. He carried him."

Pixel felt her heart sink. "He's right. When we first got Vector onto Cyan Island, he was unconscious and Leaf tried to carry him."

"And you didn't remember this before?!" Retro took a calming breath then shook her head and looked at the unown. "I don't know... the evidence is right there..."

"It might just be a coincidence," said Switch. "Unless it only works while he's awake?"

Switch didn't sound like he believed his last statement, but something deep inside Pixel's mind believed it. Or maybe she just wanted to. It was rather farfetched, but so was the idea that one pokemon alone could erase the virus and delete the cracks.

"Well..." Retro floated back into the air and made for the door. "At least... we know... none of us can catch it."

The rest of the unown darted after her, muttering words of concern. But Gyro stayed behind, looking from the door to his frozen friend and back.

"Wait!" he shouted. "What about K?!"

Pixel moved towards Switch as he held the door open, but the both of them paused to look back at Vector, still sitting on the floor and eyeing the contaminated unown. She placed a paw on her chest as she felt something flutter inside her and tried to suppress it. Now wasn't the time.

"Vector?" she said.

His ear flicked back to them but he didn't look up.

"Are you coming?" Switch asked.

"Just give me a minute," Vector said.

Switch nodded and stood aside to let Pixel past. Once in the tunnel, Switch looked down at her and sighed.

"I really want to believe he's got some kind of vaccine," he said. "But it doesn't make sense that Leaf caught it."

"No." Pixel wound her scarf around her paw then followed after the talonflame. "I don't understand it either."

...

When the door clicked shut, Vector didn't so much as flinch.

It didn't make sense. Was the world becoming immune to the virus on its own? There was no evidence to support that. The world was crumbling under those cracks. New pokemon got the virus every day. Towns and cities had been vacated. Sectioned off as contaminated areas. Even if exposure to a virus victim made one immune it didn't make sense. He'd heard of doctors catching it simply for not being thorough enough in avoiding it. Tears in hazmat suits. Problems with decontamination showers. Touching a contaminated suit. Or just walking home and... catching it from the very ground.

It didn't make sense.

He needed to find out somehow. In some way. But he couldn't do it himself if he was unconscious... could he?

The unown G was still waiting. Watching him silently, his eye flitting from him to his friend and back.

Finally, Vector let out a long breath as he pushed himself up. He still felt weak. His chest was still rattling.

"If I collapse," he told the unown, "go and find the talonflame and tell him to throw me at the cracks."

The G's eye flew wide open. "What?"

"Just the talonflame. Don't tell anyone else."

Gyro made a gesture that Vector took as a shake of the head. "No. No, if you're going to faint then leave her! She's fine. She'll be fine..."

"I want answers." Vector wheezed slightly and leant against the wall. "Is there another way out without being seen? One he could fit through?"

The unown looked to the window and Vector followed his gaze. A mucky window not much bigger than him. Switch would have problems squeezing through that even in his pokemon form.

But he might be able to get through it before he passed out. If he was quick. If he could even make it.

"Open it," he said.

The unown hesitated, then nodded. When he turned his back, Vector stooped to place a paw on the K.

 _Crack!_

"What?!" The K's eye blinked open and she flew into the air. "Krikey! I'm k-k-kold!"

What she said didn't even register in Vector's head. He could barely see where he was going. He was aware of the K flying around him. Aware of the tone of her voice that dropped from excitement to worry. Aware of Gyro by the window asking him over and over if he was okay.

Of course he wasn't okay. He'd barely reached the window when the ground started to give way. He tumbled over the windowsill and landed in a crumpled heap in a bed of ferns.

The last think he noticed was the web of cracks above him, their ultraviolet light almost blinding as his world went black.

...

 **Vector can be so blunt sometimes.**

 **Please R &R! =D**


	33. A Risky Plan

**A/N - I made this a priority to upload today. I've got a busy day ahead of me. Besides, one of the things I love to do is write for people when they're feeling down. I'm really hoping today's update might cheer some people up a bit.**

 **Thanks for all reviews, faves and follows! =D You readers really make my day**

32 – A Risky Plan

"You absolute idiot!" Switch snapped. "What were you thinking?!"

Vector wasn't in the mood for his tone. His head hurt, and he groaned as he placed a paw above his eyes. Had he hit his head on something? He couldn't remember.

"Where am I?" he mumbled.

"Your room," said Switch. "The unown have been bringing berries into it by the bucket load for the past hour."

Vector ventured to open one eye. Switch was crouching as a talonflame beside five heaping plates of berries. Bucket load was clearly an over-exaggeration.

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know." Switch rolled his eyes. "What time did you decide to jump through the freaking window?!"

"It's not like we're miles up off the ground!" Pain radiated through Vector's head again and he placed a paw back over his eyes. "Give me a break. I was doing an experiment."

"Seeing if you could bounce?"

"No! Trying to find out if I need to be conscious to erase those cracks!"

Switch's beak snapped shut and he stared at the meowstic for a moment. The silence drew Vector's eye onto him and he sighed.

"What was the result?" Vector asked.

"They were all still there," Switch told him. "A small net of them just below the window. They curved up towards the sky which was how I was able to drag you out without touching them. I was too worried to really process that you fell through them if I'm honest."

Vector clenched his teeth together as he pushed himself up. "So that answers it then."

Switch rushed to the bed and adjusted the pillow so the meowstic could lean back against the wall.

"That explains why Leaf caught it," Vector went on. "I have to be conscious, don't I?"

He found a plate of berries deposited on his lap and absently picked one from it.

"I guess so." Switch shrugged then let out a sigh. "Things just keep getting more and more complicated."

"I'd say they're getting simpler, but whatever." Vector took a huge bite from the sitrus berry and grimaced at its sour flavour. "I mean... we now understand why Leaf caught it when Pixel and the unown didn't." He looked at Switch, now crouching on the floor, out of the corner of his eye. "And we know that even if humans do eventually catch it that you won't."

Switch made a thoughtful noise and gazed at the top of the wall. "Good point."

"But it's not just being unconscious that causes it to fail," said Vector.

Switch snapped round to look at him again. "What do you mean?"

"I remember seeing those cracks above my head," Vector explained. "It's very vague, but... it seems to be if I'm in the process of passing out then it won't work."

"Oh, I don't understand that at all," said Switch. "I don't even understand why you need to be awake either, but there we go."

"Neither do I," said Vector. "And I guess we'll never know."

He finished off the sitrus berry then chose his next one carefully, selecting a maranga from beneath a heap of pecha berries. As he took a bite out of it, finding it much more pleasant, he turned his attention back to the talonflame.

"Who else knows what happened?"

"No one," said Switch. "Gyro told me you'd demanded he only tell me, so I kept it to myself. Pixel and Retro have no idea, and Gyro told the rest of the unown to keep it under their metaphorical hats." He paused. "X found that very amusing. I think he might be stringing it into a new pun."

"Well, you need to have some humour these days or you'd just cry."

Vector tried to push himself up but Switch leapt to his feet and shoved him back down with a wing.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Vector blinked at him. "I was getting up."

"Not a chance. You need rest."

Vector closed his eyes and pushed his wing aside. "I have stuff I need to do."

"Oh really?" Switch's beak crinkled into a frown. "Like what? Force yourself to faint again?"

Vector stared into Switch's livid, yellow eyes then shrugged. But before he could say anything, Switch waved him off.

"K is beside herself right now," he explained. "When she found out you curing her caused you to black out she genuinely thought you'd died! She blamed herself! Of course I didn't tell her it had anything to do with that because I wanted to put her mind at rest, so I had to tell her it just makes you rather tired and you overdid it. Not quite a lie, but I'm still not happy about it. However, there was no way I was going to tell her that curing the virus and erasing those cracks is slowly killing you!"

Vector narrowed his eyes into a leer and his words came out slowly, laced with a warning. "I never told you that."

"No. But when you told me you were dying I just strung the two together. The evidence is all there, Vector. And to be perfectly honest, until we can find some way to do that without it draining your life away, I think you should stop." Switch turned his tail on the meowstic and strutted to the far end of the room where he lay down against the wall.

Vector was silent as he stared at the talonflame, watching as Switch tucked his head beneath one of his large wings. It was too much to ask. Retro and Pixel wouldn't be the only ones to lose family or close friends, and they certainly weren't the first. Other pokemon would experience that heartbreak, or already had. What the world needed was hope. Hope that there was an end to all this. No, he couldn't quit now. Too much was at stake.

"I can't just stop," he said.

"Why not?" came Switch's muffled voice.

"Because the world is suffering and for some reason I can neutralise it."

"Well I'm not happy that we rescued you from doctors who planned to risk your life to find a cure, and you're now doing the _exact same thing_!" Switch snapped his head back up, the feathers along his neck erect like red daggers. "We saved your life and now you're just going to throw it away by saving _part_ of the population?! There's no way you're going to survive long enough to get the antibodies to _everyone_ , especially not if wiping two pokemon clean causes you to pass out with exhaustion!"

Vector stared back down at the plate of berries, his appetite wiped out as he tried to control his temper. Switch's words had struck a raw nerve, but the human had a strong point.

There really was no point. He needed a better plan.

"No," he said flatly. He pushed the plate to the side and slipped from the bed, giving the talonflame one last sideways glance as he made for the door. "I guess you're right."

...

Pixel moved through the tunnel, feeling a lot better after a nap. She was hoping to find Vector and Switch and make sure they were okay and as she reached their room she found the door open. The bed was unmade but empty, and she spotted the dozing talonflame curled up in the far corner, his head buried beneath his wing. A small smile played at her lips and she pulled the door to quietly.

When she strode into the main cavern the only pokemon there were the unown, busying away at their computers. The newly revived K and Gyro were hovering by the coffee table sipping cups of tea, nattering quietly amongst themselves. They looked up when she entered with smiling eyes.

"It's so nice to meet you!" said Gyro. "We never really got a chance to introduce ourselves, did we?"

"No, we didn't." Pixel smiled back and clasped her paws behind herself. "I'm Pixel. The two friends with me are Switch and Vector."

"Oh, Vector's the one who has the counter virus?" Gyro asked.

"Yes, that's him. Retro's been calling them antibodies but... I guess it doesn't really have a name."

"Well, it doesn't matter." Gyro closed his eye. "I think you already know this, but you know... manners and all that. I'm Gyro and this is K."

The K beamed. "So totally awesome to meet you! And I love your scarf, so kool!"

"Thank you!"

Pixel absently fondled her scarf as she looked around the room at the unown. So far it was only Gyro who she hadn't picked up an odd vocal trait from. Even Alarm screamed from time to time, which she guessed earned her the name (or nickname) the others called her. She found herself wondering if there'd been more unown living here before the virus hit, or if their group had always been relatively small. Nevertheless she didn't want to ask perchance it was a bit of a sore spot.

Her eyes went to the tunnel leading out and she wondered if maybe Vector had passed through here. She hadn't seen him anywhere else in the cavern.

"I'm sorry, but I'm looking for Vector," she said. "Have you seen him?"

"Saw him a bit ago," said Amp. "He went outside."

"Outside?" She placed a paw on her chest and looked back to the exit tunnel. "Did he say where he was going?"

"Oh yes, I made sure to ask. He said he wanted to go on the roof," said Amp. "I didn't question why. I mean, it's just a grass mound. It hardly has much of a view. Especially at this present moment. It's mostly just cracks and twisted tree stumps."

"Yes, it's hardly x-traordinary," said X. "I would describe it as x-tremely dull and somewhat..."

"Distressing?" Gyro offered.

"I can't pun that," said X. "Give me time to think of something and I'll get back to you."

"Stuck for a pun?!" Amp chuckled and quickly tapped at his computer keyboard which brought up a password locked computer diary. "Please excuse me while I document this momentous occasion!"

A smile spread across Pixels face and she let out a small laugh. After quickly thanking the unown she zipped through the tunnel until she ended up at the fork. The path that led upwards had a little light trickling down it which grew brighter the further up she went. Eventually she found herself standing amongst lush, vibrant grass, the odd corrupted code rising up towards the canopy. Most of the mound was free from those cracks, but they criss-crossed and zig-zagged above them like a huge galvantula web.

Sitting atop a rocky crag was Vector, his eyes trailing over the cracks with a look in his eyes that Pixel couldn't quite place. It might have been sadness or general weariness. She couldn't deny she was rather fed up with how the world was herself. The world she'd known her whole life was breaking away, and if it continued much longer her whole race might end up extinct... unless they could get the cure. Even then who was to say the cracks wouldn't slowly consume them, reducing their world to nothing?

It wasn't until she pulled herself up onto the crag that Vector noticed her, a look of surprise filling his blue eyes. She smiled at him and leant back on her paws.

"You looked lonely," she said.

That look of surprise melted away to be replaced by a small smile and he copied her, leaning back to look up at those strange cracks.

"It's sad isn't it?" he said. "I was hoping to come up here and find it like Luma Island, where I could lie back in the grass and look up at a sky free from all of..." he waved a paw, "this."

She watched him stare down at his own paw looking thoughtful for a moment before he clenched it into a fist and let it drop back into the grass. Her eyes followed it, fixing on the steam-like code.

"Even if you did erase them," she said, "it wouldn't be much different. You'd still see all this code."

He nodded but said nothing, his eyes drifting to the opposite trees. Twisted trunks corkscrewing into the ground, jagged lumps where limbs were once attached, patches of sky visible between shattered branches and ultraviolet jagged lines.

"I don't really see the point any more," he said.

She looked up at him, her violet eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

"Let's face it. There's no way I can erase every trace of the virus and cracks while giving everyone in System this... antibody or whatever it is. And who's to say it's not travelled overseas to the Analog Islands?"

That thought had never really hit her before, but now it did so. The sheer notion that this horrible incident might not be contained to System made her sick. Pokemon hadn't even been allowed to leave System for fear of carrying this condition over to the Analog Islands, or further. She'd never considered it could simply go there itself.

She hunched forwards and hugged herself, the trees before her eyes unfocusing as her mind went elsewhere.

"Don't worry about it, Pixel," said Vector. "I have a plan."

She looked up at him with a start. "What? A plan?"

He nodded. "Yes. I... think we might be able to kill this virus at its source."

She felt her eyes widen and every strand of fur slowly go on end as the realisation of what he was telling her manifested in her mind.

"The source?" She shook her head slowly. "Tell me you're not seriously thinking about going into the Fracture?!"

"I actually am." When she was about to object again he raised a paw. "Just hear me out. If it originated there, then the source of those cracks might be there. If I can erase them, maybe I can erase the source of it. Which, in theory, would destroy all cracks and any further progression of the virus."

"But... pokemon might still have the virus after. It would still be contagious. It would still spread."

"They're quarantined. Any further progression can be controlled. Until we can get the cure to them anyway."

"So you're saying you'd go into the hospital ward and erase the virus from every patient?"

His shoulders went slack and he let out a long breath. "I honestly don't know. But I want to give this a go."

Pixel stared down at her paws, a rising dread growing in her chest. "Vector... no one has ever come out of the Fracture. They've sent in drones..."

"I know all that. But no one has gone in there with this... condition... before have they? Or an immunity to the virus. What if I – or we – can go in there and come out completely unscathed?"

"I can't erase the cracks like you can. And when the unown touched the virus they didn't erase it either."

"Exactly. It didn't effect them." He turned his blue eyes onto her, warm despite their icy colour. "What if the Fracture works in the exact same way? You could walk through that distortion like it were nothing but air."

She continued to stare down at her paws as his words washed over her. It made perfect sense, and as absurd as it sounded it was their best shot. If they could indeed destroy the virus at its source then it might save millions of lives in the long run.

"Okay." She let out a breath and nodded. "We'll talk to Retro. Maybe she and the unown, even Switch, might be able to help."

A soft smile spread across his face and she couldn't help but return it.

The initial shock now over, her body relaxed and she let her paws fall back onto the grass. Her right one brushed against Vector's and she felt his paw twitch, hesitating for a moment before he moved it over hers. Her arm tingled as her fur stood on end and she looked down at their interwoven paws before looking back up at him and meeting his warm eyes.

Her conversation with Retro came rushing back to her, throwing everything into perspective. The mew wasn't wrong. She had developed feelings for him, but everything that had been going on had stopped her from really acknowledging it. Now they were about to enter the Fracture. If things went wrong, she wouldn't get another chance.

In one swift motion she scooted closer to him and caught his lips in hers. She heard his breath catch in his throat as his body went tense, but it was only for a moment as his free paw moved up her arm and around her shoulders, pulling her into him as he deepened the kiss. His claws brushed over her jaw and cheek as he moved her long fur back from her face.

He paused for a moment to take in a shaky breath, then released her as his paw went to his chest. The warmth from his eyes had vanished to be replaced with worry and he wound his claws into the grass.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Pixel was still feeling rather breathless which caused her voice to waver as she asked, "For what?"

"I... cant..." He paused to take in another shaky breath. "I've fallen for you, but I..."

Pixel's heart was racing as she sat waiting for him to finish. She didn't know what to say, or what to expect. All she knew was the word 'but' rarely brought anything good after a positive statement. Her eyes wandered to the trees, once again taking in the state of the world. But nothing prepared her for Vector's eventual statement.

"I'm dying..."

Her heart lurched into her throat and she snapped her head round to look at him, her mouth hanging open wordlessly.

"I didn't want to tell you," he said. "I was hoping that... we might find a cure and it would get rid of this... whatever it is." He lifted his paws then let them fall back into his lap. "Every time I use one of those stupid attacks it left me with, or erase those cracks, or even the virus, it weakens me."

Pixel's eyes flitted left and right as she took all this in. It explained so much. His fainting spells, coughing up blood, his desperation and crankiness to find a cure. How had she not noticed? Tears stung her eyes and she looked away from him, one paw resting on the ground as she fought the urge to get up and walk away. Despite how she felt there was no way she was going to leave him now.

"That's why I want to go to the Fracture," he said. "I don't think I would survive erasing many more cracks or helping victims, but if I can erase it at its source then it might get rid of all of it, even if it costs me-"

"No." She balled her paws into fists in her lap, but she didn't look up at him. "Don't talk like that."

"Pixel, if I can help this world I will, even if it costs me my life." He took in a ragged breath and wiped a paw across his eyes. "It's my fault it ended up like this and I want to put it right."

Those words stung her almost as much as his revelation. She looked up at him and frowned. "It's _not_ your fault. Who's to say the virus wouldn't have eventually leaked out anyway?"  
He seemed to consider this for a moment then shrugged. "Nevertheless, I'm going in and I'm going to find the cause of all this and hopefully destroy it."

It was a ridiculously reckless plan, but everything he'd said made sense. The virus came from the Fracture, so whatever was causing it should be inside there, and if this 'antibody' could destroy it then it might just save their world.

Hopefully after that they could focus on trying to cure him.

She really wanted to see this through. Even if their friends refused to help him, even tried to stop him which she knew he'd ignore, there was no way she was letting him go in there alone.

She pursed her lips in thought and leant back on her paws. "Then I'm going with you."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	34. System Going Down

**A/N - Busy weekend D=**

 **There are only four more chapters to update after this one, so this is the plan I hope to take this week to get them uploaded. Monday and Wednesday will be updated as normal, but the final two will be submitted on Thursday. The reason for two submissions on Thursday is because the final chapter is an epilogue. Then, all being well, every chapter will be uploaded right before Sun and Moon are released! =D**

33 – System Going Down

"No!" Retro retorted. "Absolutely not! It's too dangerous!"

This had been the mew's response for the past ten minutes. Since the second Vector had approached her with his idea she'd begun to panic, pacing back and forth while the group of unown and Switch followed her with their eyes.

Vector leant against the wall beside the door, his arms folded and his mouth turned into a frown. Pixel knew all too well that no matter what Retro said, he was determined and she wasn't going to stop him. The reason he'd run it by her wasn't only just in case she wanted to help but also because her teleportation would have been a quick way to reach the Fracture. If she weren't going to help him then he'd walk if he had to, and Pixel would walk with him.

"None of you are going to the Fracture," Retro said, punctuating with a hard glare right on Pixel and Vector. "You know full well even drones haven't made it back out of that city!"

Vector simply shrugged. "If you're going to ignore my facts, then fine. But I'm going."

"'Fact' is a very naïve way of wording it, Vector," said Retro. "Since you don't know for a 'fact' that you, or Pixel, will survive passing through the Fracture's wall."

"Well, since I'm dying anyway I've nothing to lose, have I?"

Those words struck Pixel like a blade and she placed a paw over her chest, diverting her gaze to a blank spot on the wall. Retro was stunned speechless but recovered quickly and finally sat back down.

"It's still no reason to be so reckless," she said. "Especially not without testing to see if it would work first."

"And how do you plan to test it?" he asked. "Create another much smaller fracture you can stick your paw into? Because you can do that with the cracks and we all know the outcome."

"What worries me," Retro began, "is that you can erase the cracks and the virus. Exposure to whatever antibodies you're carrying only makes us immune to the virus and those cracks. Despite being immune the effects are very different. You might survive passing through to the Fracture, but we might not!"

Vector shrugged again and kicked back from the wall. "Fine. I'll go alone."

Pixel watched him as he moved into the tunnel, then gave herself a sharp shake before following after him.

"Vector, wait!"

He looked back at her, then his attention was drawn back into the room as the computer monitors flickered off, the monotonous whirr from the fans dying down into silence. Every light blinked out, plunging the cavern into darkness.

"What on earth?!" Retro zipped past them, followed by the unown.

"What's going on?" Pixel cried as she ran after them.

"I don't know!" Retro called back.

The mew took the exit to the top of the crag where she darted around in the air, searching the sky for an opening in the cracks. Something was very wrong. Pixel couldn't quite put her paw on it, but something was different.

"If you want to go through it, it's no use," said Switch. "The gaps are too narrow."

"I'm not trying to go through it," said Retro. "I'm looking for a wide enough space beyond it. Ahah!"

The mew vanished in a flash, reappearing as a pink speck beyond the canopy between two black cracks. Despite how far away she was, they could hear her yell of surprise clearly.

It was followed by a deep rumble through the earth, growing with intensity until the very trees shook. Pixel was thrown off her feet, landing hard against Vector and Switch. The unown floated behind them, holding the larger pokemon steady as the ground continued to shake.

Pixel clutched onto Vector for dear life, her violet eyes wide as she searched the sky for the mew. But there was no sign of her. What was going on?

...

It had all happened so fast.

N00b had to bring his car to a nose-dive, the front wheels hitting the tarmac with such force it almost threw him from his seat. But there was no time to be worried about any damage to the car. He was more worried about what he'd just witnessed.

First, a massive crack appeared out of nowhere, zigzagging its way through the sky towards the ground like an ultraviolet lightning bolt, narrowly missing the nose of his little car. The surprise caused him to lose control of the vehicle has he pulled it up over the crack and down towards the ground rather quickly. His eyes never left the anomaly. He'd seen it take out one of the transmitter posts, warping it into an elaborate knot. It had struck down several buildings before causing an explosion somewhere deep inside Meta City.

He'd got his answer quite quickly. Every light blinked out. Every transmitter across System stopped flashing.

That crack had taken out System's main control deck. The results alone were enough to tell him that the back-up controls had been wiped out already, leaving all of System to rely on one building to operate every single communications and electronics service across the region.

As he was processing this, Nybble let out a terrible shriek. N00b whipped his head around to follow the emolga's terrified eyes and what he saw caused his heart to lurch into his throat.

Far in the distance was a floating speck, one of the three drifting continents but which one he couldn't make out. Right now, it was falling. A massive island twice the size of Meta City, plummeting towards the ground.

All communications and electrical circuits had been cut off. That meant all three of the drifting continents were no longer held up on their invisible circuits. All three were crashing to the ground, and the damage was going to be catastrophic.

...

Hundreds of eyes watched in terror as Luma Island dropped down towards the ocean.

Wave City was one of few cities that still operated towards the north of System, carefully dealing with shipments to and from the Analog Islands. The city had experienced a couple of virus outbreaks but being so close to the shore hadn't experienced the worst of the cracks.

However, Burst stood amongst the inhabitants of Wave City as he watched his home plummet towards the water. He didn't have enough time to fully process what was happening. Like everyone else, he was trying to turn and run, flapping his wings to give himself momentum into the air.

The island struck the ocean, the roar of the water growing in intensity as a huge tsunami rose up into the air, lifting the cargo ships with it. The wall of water crashed back down and engulfed the shore, destroying the villas on the cliff face and spreading out over the city.

The staraptor screamed as the water hit him, his voice joining hundreds more before he was engulfed in the tsunami and dragged backwards towards the ocean.

...

N00b led the emolga twins down the streets of Spool City. It was much different than when he'd left. The sky was almost filled with black cracks, but fortunately it hadn't been closed off. That had filled him with a little relief at least.

As he turned into the familiar alley way, a deep voice drew his attention to the trash cans where a trubbish was peering out at the small city.

"What's goin' on?" Kurg asked.

N00b paused beside his trash can and tried to catch his breath. "One of the cracks has taken out the main control deck," he gasped out.

Kurg raised a brow. "Seriously? Aww, man!"

"I need to see if Connor's okay. I'll speak to you later."

The lillipup turned and dashed down the alley, but the heavy plopping sound behind him told him the trubbish had left his home to follow after him. N00b struggled to move the heavy manhole cover blocking his only access into Connor's home. A low, involuntary whimper rose from his throat as he pawed at it helplessly.

Byte appeared at his right side and stuck his claws beneath the heavy sheet of metal, his eyes scrunching shut as he strained to lift it free. Kurg joined his side and stuck a tentacle beneath it, lifting it almost effortlessly.

"You country pokemon ain't got no city strength?" the trubbish snorted.

Byte merely gave him a sideways glance before following the lillipup into the sewer.

Kurg pulled the cover back into place and dropped down beside the small group, creating a deep, echoing clang as he hit the grate.

"Thanks, Kurg," said N00b.

The trubbish shrugged. "Ain't nothin'."

The group walked in silence over the metal grate, Nybble covering her muzzle with her paws to block out the worst of the smell. Fortunately it wasn't a long distance to the next manhole which was conveniently located right beneath Connor's home. The emolga took in a deep breath when they broke through into clean air.

N00b's heart sank as he discovered not a single flicker of light came from Connor's dark computer lab. The only light was the failing sunlight that came in through the dusty windows.

"Connor?" he asked.

The pikachu's small form appeared in the doorway beside a worried-looking Diode.

"What's going on?" Any hint of bitterness had left Connor's voice to be replaced with worry.

N00b rushed over to him and threw his paws around his neck, almost knocking him over. The answer died in N00b's throat as he burst into tears, his small body shaking with heavy sobs.

"Hey, N00b," said Connor. "Tell me what's going on. And who are these pokemon?"

N00b couldn't answer. Everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours now completely overwhelmed him.

He felt a paw touch his head and he looked up into the warm, smiling face of Snippet.

"Well, look at you," she said. "At least your back safe 'n' sound, hey? And you gone an' brought two new, adorable friends with you. And little Kurg, too!"

N00b took in a ragged breath and let his forepaws fall to the ground. "I didn't have much choice. I'm sorry."

"Oh now, don't you go sayin' sorry, you poor thing." The leavanny tutted a few times before continuing. "You go an' sit down an' tell us everythin'. Diode's gonna help me with the oven so I can make you's all some soup an' tea. Go upstairs now. It's comfier up there."

N00b followed after Connor, keeping his head low and taking steady breaths to avoid bursting into tears again. The room the pikachu led them to was a warm sitting room that had a sofa and two arm chairs stationed around a glass topped coffee table, and a television mounted on the wall.

Snippet strode through a door that led into an adjoining kitchen, all the while talking in her thick accent.

"Shouldn't be too long now, boys. Diode's pretty quick on firin' up the old oven. Helpful one, thissun. Connor couldn't fry an egg with his electricity, could you, boy?" She chuckled as Connor rolled his eyes. "Guess tha's whatcha get for not practicin' more, hey? But no bother, he's a sweet kid is Connor."

She strutted back into the room and placed a tray with seven glasses and a jug of juice on the table. As she poured it out into the glasses, she went on;

"In all the years I had you boys here there ain't been one proper fight between yous. Yous been like my own kids. Proper sweet. Can't say I'm not worried sick 'bout Switch, though. Now we can't even contact him 'cos the electricity's gone an' cut out."

Kurg accepted a glass and cleared his throat. "That's 'cos one o' them dumb cracks has shot out the control deck. That's what N00b told me anyway."

Snippet looked up at him with a start. "Really? Tha's not very considerate is it?"

"I don't think them cracks really think 'bout what's considerate."

"No." N00b let out a sigh and pushed himself upright. "We saw one of the drifting continents fall after the power went out."

Nybble whined loudly and covered her eyes with her paws. "Why?! First we lose Leaf. Now our home."

Byte pulled his sister into a hug. "I know. Just be glad we weren't still on it."

Snippet looked around at them and covered her mouth. "Oh, my dears!"

"It just fell from the sky." N00b stared down at the floor and shook his head. "What's happening to our world?"

...

No alarms. No lights.

Hertz rushed through the hospital amidst the other doctors and nurses, their panicked voices drumming on his ears as they worried over the quarantine and life support systems.

There was no other option. They had to evacuate the building.

Bootstrap caught up to Hertz with Mirror on his tail. "What's happened?"

"The electricity has been cut off," Hertz explained.

"That much is obvious," said the marowak. "Do you know why?"

"No one knows why, at least not yet. There's been no possible way to get a message to us. We don't even know if its temporary."

"Well we need to think of something and fast. Hundreds of pokemon are relying on the life support systems."

Hertz fired him a sideways glare. "Until we get some electricity to securely run both the life support and quarantine systems there is nothing we can do. If one doctor steps paw inside that room and leaves without disinfecting themselves then we're all at risk."

The marowak's eyes widened with surprise. "So there are even doctors locked back there?"

Hertz gave him a grave nod. "Yes."

"Then what do we do? We can't just leave them there! They're clean!"

"What we do is we go back to my original plan to find a cure. And as it so happens I had a meowstic in my custody who had suffered the virus but survived it. He may very well provide some kind of solution to this problem." Hertz paused as he took in the marowak and wobbuffet's confused expressions. "Unfortunately he was kidnapped. I have two of my best tracking him down, and I plan to join them."

Bootstrap threw his paws wide. "Why didn't you say anything about this?!"

"Well, as it must be said, my methods were rather... controversial. But desperate times call for desperate measures." Hertz clasped his paws behind his back and looked at both pokemon in turn. "Now I guess it's time for me to ask you whether you want to join _my own_ little investigation into the virus and help me retrieve this potential cure?"

...

A loud screech filled the train's cabin as the wheels ground against the rails while the driver tried to bring the train to a safe halt under the violent shudders that threatened to throw the train off its tracks. The machine had been propelled along with the momentum its speed had provided while the passengers sat in darkness, their screams rivalling with the shrill sound of the wheels. Sample clasped his paws over his ears but it only dulled the break's screeching and the wails from the wartortle beside him. Finally he lurched forwards, propelled from his seat as the train finally came to a sudden stop. At some point the shuddering had ended and he felt Mono tense as the pair of them braced themselves for another earthquake. Instead, a dull flicker came from above them as the emergency lights kicked in, powered by a back-up battery.

The two pokemon looked around in bewilderment, their expressions matching those of every single other pokemon on the train. The windows were pitch black, the tunnel outside also plunged into darkness.

"We are sorry to announce," came the driver's voice over the intercom, "that the train has lost power. Please move in an orderly fashion to the nearest emergency exit."

While the driver repeated himself, Sample pushed himself up and exchanged glances with Mono. Her fluffy ears twitched with worry and she moved along into the crowd, slipping out of the nearest door.

The tunnel was crowded and unsettlingly dark. A few pokemon managed to bring up the torches on their phones, chasing away some of the darkness and clearing a path to freedom. Unfortunately, Mono and Sample didn't possess such phones so they found themselves following a group of teenagers in the direction the driver – a hitmonchan – pointed them towards. Apparently it was the fastest way out of the tunnel, and would take about ten minutes to walk.

"What do you think happened?" Mono finally asked the exploud.

Sample grunted and pulled out his pocket computer. His confusion was only increased when he discovered there was no signal coming through to him.

"I've no idea," he said. "And I can't check either."

Mono huffed and looked away from him. "Maybe it's the tunnel. See if you can get a signal outside."

Lights off. Earthquake. Signal dead. Something had happened and he was convinced it had something to do with those dangerous cracks.

The train hadn't been going far. It would have dropped them off at Batch City, the closest they could get to the rogue drifting continent. There they had hoped to find a flier or two who could take them to the island – and hopefully this time not be met with a violent end. He brought up a handy map he'd downloaded, which unfortunately was no longer picking up his GPS. If his guess was right, they were towards the end of the tunnel that joined Batch City Station. Beyond Batch City were a couple of large towns before they ended at the derelict cities, which he knew would be cordoned off with yellow tape.

Hopefully the fliers wouldn't mind breaching those boundaries for a little extra cash.

"My feet hurt," said Mono.

"Stop complaining," grumbled Sample.

"I have you know I ain't as young as I used to be!" Mono snapped back. She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "What are the odds of you carryin' me?"

Sample stuffed his computer back into his pocket. "Slim to none. Stop your whining and walk."

Mono snorted as Sample sped up and trotted to keep up with him. She started ranting but he tuned it out, focusing instead on the light ahead of them that grew the closer he got to it. Before long, the teenagers in front of him switched off their torches and began to trot towards it with a cheer. Ten minutes had been a bit of a generous guess from the train driver. Before long he was stood outside, looking up at the station before him. The platform was almost bare save for those who had just arrived in the city. Those waiting for the train had their faces set with confusion. Sample guessed a lot of those waiting had left the station to return home. He was guessing every pokemon who had arrived at this city, not counting himself and Mono, actually lived here or in one of the surrounding towns. Ordinarily, pokemon would be intent on moving away from the dangers the Fracture posed to the northern cities, but unfortunately not everyone could afford that luxury. Not to mention the southern cities no longer had the capacity to accommodate them.

"So we look for a flier?" Mono asked, slightly breathless.

Sample made a non-committal grunt and retrieved his computer. Still no signal. He frowned at it and looked around at the station. Something hadn't quite registered when they'd arrived, but every single light was off. Every single billboard was blank. His eyes fell on a greying simisage stood outside a shop, pulling down the shutters over its windows.

"Oi!" He trotted over to the green monkey pokemon who looked up at him with a warm smile.

"Oh, hello there!" The simisage's voice wavered with age. "I'm sorry but I've had to close for the day."

"I've noticed. What's going on here? Why are all the lights out?"

"All I can assume is the power has failed," the shop owner explained. "Everything is out. We can't even get any news to find out why. It just went, see. Did your train fail too?"

"Aye, it did," said Mono. "Wonder what's happened?"

Sample watched the wartortle move away from him to the platform's edge then looked back at the simisage.

"No idea, eh?" The exploud shrugged. "Well, thanks for your time anyway." Just as he turned away he remembered the fliers and looked back at the green monkey. "Oh! Where's the nearest flier depot?"

"Just outside the station, but I doubt they'll be available if they can't answer their calls."

Sample grit his teeth together as he tutted then quickly thanked the simisage once more. A loud yell came from Mono and the two pokemon span towards her. She stood staring up at the sky, scratching her ears with her claws.

"What's the matter now?!" Sample boomed.

"I... I can't see the drifting continent."

"Well it _has_ gone rogue! Look harder!"

"I am!" Mono snapped. She looked back up at the sky, turning on the spot as she searched desperately. "Thing is I can't see either of 'em. Not Cyan or Luma."

"Luma would be out over the sea by this point," the simisage offered helpfully.

Sample grabbed Mono by her paw and tugged her after him. She gave a yell of disapproval which he ignored as he dragged her down the stairs, allowing her to half-stumble behind him. Once outside he spotted the flier depot, clearly marked by its pidgeot logo, and made a beeline for it. Mono scurried behind him, almost running on all fours.

Unfortunately, like the simisage had said, the depot was closing.

Sample grabbed the nearest pidgeot by the wing. "Wait! We need you."

The pidgeot sighed and rubbed his head feathers. "I'm sorry, but our transmitters aren't working. We have to close."

"But we need to reach Cyan Island," he said. "Government business."

The pidgeot looked down at the exploud's offered badge and raised an eyebrow. "You haven't noticed?"

"Haven't noticed what?" The frustration in Sample's voice was merely met with another raised eyebrow.

"It's come down." The pidgeot stared at Sample's shocked face. "Where were you when it hit? The whole city trembled!"

Sample looked down at Mono and let his badge drop to his side. Cyan Island had crashed? Did that mean Luma and Magenta had as well? One thing would be for certain. If the meowstic was aboard, he wouldn't have survived that.

And with no signal, he couldn't let Hertz know the bad news either.

...

Pixel stared up at the sky, barely breathing as she desperately waited for any sign of Retro. Switch, Vector and the unown were also silent, none of them wanting to make a sound perchance they missed any sign of the mew. It felt like an eternity had passed since the earthquake shook the jungle. Not seeing or knowing what had happened to their friend left her feeling physically sick.

Then, finally, a hint of pink appeared above the cracks. In a flash, the mew floated before them, her face twisted with worry. Her eyes were distant as her mind was elsewhere. The words she spoke made Pixel feel like she were stuck in a dream.

"The drifting continents are gone."

Pixel shook herself as the words registered in her mind. "What?"

"They're gone," Retro said. "They fell. I saw... I saw Cyan Island just... drop from the sky. And Luma. It hit the ocean."

"Luma Island?" Switch took a step towards her but Retro didn't appear to even notice he'd spoken. "But that means... What about Circuit and..."

"I don't know what's happened," said Retro. "They just fell. I tried to get higher to see if I could see Magenta Island but I can't. I think... I think they've all crashed!"

She put her paws to her head and slumped to the floor. The unown rushed around her, shouting their concerns. Amp reprimanded them into silence and ushered the mew to her feet.

"Come on. Let's get you inside, you need rest."

Pixel watched the group of unown lead Retro back into the cavern, their voices fading away to be replaced by the rusting of leaves in the breeze. It felt so surreal.

"I had friends on that island," said Switch.

It had to be a dream.

"How do I know they even made it off?" he went on. "I can't even contact them. This stupid power failure has shot out my phone signal."  
Pixel balled her paws into fists and screwed her eyes shut, but the tears still managed to leak through. "I've lost my home..."

Switch and Vector were silent, but she could feel them watching her. Neither knowing what to say. Despite their presence, she felt lonely. Lost. Helpless. More tears broke free, but she didn't wipe them away.

"I've lost my family, Nano, Chip, Leaf... and now my home..."

Vector's warm paw landed on her shoulder and she opened her eyes just in time to see him slip away into the cavern.

The cavern. Surrounded by black, violet-leaking cracks.

She didn't want to even look at them.

Screwing her eyes shut, she followed after Vector, not opening her eyes again until she was back inside the tunnel. When she entered the control room she found Retro sitting on the sofa, her paws folded in her lap. That dream-like look had left her features to now be replaced by one of distress.

Vector stood on the other side of the table, watching her, his paws flexing and relaxing as he searched for something to say.

Like the unown, Pixel just looked between the meowstic and the mew. Retro wasn't even looking at him. Her mind was still elsewhere, warring as she struggled to come to terms with whatever freak events had just unfolded.

"Do you want to help me?" Vector finally said. "The offer's still there. I'm going into the Fracture regardless, but you've seen what damage it can do."

"X-actly!" said X. "Believe me, you have my help. I want to see that thing gone!"

"Me too," said Amp. "I don't know how I can help, but... I'm sure we can think of something!"

The other unown were silent, watching Retro as she silently stared down at her paws.

"Then let's go," said Vector. "Whatever is inside the Fracture, if we can stop it -"

"I'm thinking," she said.

Everyone looked round at the mew. She sighed and let her paws fall beside her onto the sofa.

"Give me time," she said. "I'll come up with something."

"How much time?" Vector spoke oddly softly. "Because it's pretty obvious it's responsible for those islands crashing. They've been flying for centuries. For all three to just crash like that-"

"Morning," said the mew. "We'll discuss a plan of action in the morning."

Vector watched as Retro left the sofa, vanishing into the small tunnel to her room. When he heard the door close he looked back over his shoulder at Pixel and Switch.

"I suggest we all get some rest," he said.

As Vector vanished to his room, Pixel wiped a paw over her eyes. Rest... she didn't think for one moment she'd sleep that night. Even though she hadn't witnessed it, she kept seeing Cyan Island crashing towards the ground, her mind living the worst case scenario as she realised just how fortunate they were that no one was on it.

But as she looked at Switch a feeling of dread spread through her as it really struck her that the other two island's inhabitants may very well have not been so fortunate.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	35. Glitch City

**A/N - Not long to go now! =D Sun/Moon hype!**

34 – Glitch City

Not a single light penetrated the dingy windows of the cavern. Before everyone had retired to their rooms, the unown had gone around lighting candles to help Pixel and her friends find their way around should they need to. Light flickered in the hallway from the candles that had been left alight, most of Pixel's friends choosing to extinguish the ones in their rooms in favour of sleep. But instead she was lay awake, watching the distorted shadows tremble on the ceiling, cast by her candle's flickering flame that had eaten away at most of the wick, leaving a pool of wax on the stony floor.

She had no idea how much time had passed. It was impossible to tell. No power, no clock, no signal to her head set. The entire cavern felt primal, and served as a constant reminder that very soon they may be breaching the Fracture. She couldn't sleep. She didn't want to sleep. Sleeping would just make things happen faster.

A soft sound made her ears prick up and she turned her head to look at the doorway. The familiar shadow with its pointed ears bounced past just before Vector's white and black form flashed into view, only to vanish again into the shadows. For a moment she wondered if it was actually morning. It wasn't unfeasible that the jungle would block out most of the early morning light, but she brushed the idea aside. The cavern was much too quiet, and she couldn't help worrying the meowstic was trying to put his plan into action alone.

She pushed herself up and crept out of the room, following Vector's trail into the main room. Part of her expected him to not be there so she jumped slightly when she saw him huddled in the corner of the sofa, his blue eyes fixed on her.

She ventured over to the sofa and sat against the arm of the chair opposite him, pulling her feet up beneath her.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

He shrugged and looked away from her. Silent. As silent as the very room they sat in.

From here she couldn't even hear the soft snores from their sleeping friends. No hum from the computers. If she listened hard enough she could just make out the crackling from the candles on the table beside them. The flames seemed to give Vector's white fur a flickering, pale orange hue.

"I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't joined Bridge." His voice made Pixel jump and her eyes snapped back up to his face. "If I'd just stayed home. Would any of this have even happened?"

She waited patiently for him to elaborate, but he was silent again, just staring at the candles as he hugged his knees to his chest, both his tails fastened tightly around him. He looked scared. Not that she could blame him.

"You can't keep blaming yourself," she said.

He shrugged again. "I have my reasons, Pixel. Just like I had my reasons for joining them, and it all went horribly wrong."

"It was an accident..."

She looked down at her paws as she toyed with the hem of her scarf. He'd already heard it before and even though she thought it was helping, his stoic expression told her it wasn't. He already knew it was an accident, and accident or not, it didn't change anything.

So she decided to change the subject. Something that wasn't about the Fracture. Something to take both their minds off what was soon to come.

"What did you used to do?" she ventured. "Before you joined Bridge?"

He took in a long breath and leant his head back against the arm of the sofa. "I was a recluse."

She looked up with a start. "What?"

"Like I said. I rarely went outside. I spent all day playing games and messing about with mechanics."

"Why? Because of your allergies?"

"That played a part." He ran a paw through the fur between his ears and sighed. "I didn't exactly have an easy time at school. Kids would tease me because they thought I was weird. If they weren't mocking me because of my interests they were making fun of my markings." He caught the confused look in her eye and aimed a thumb behind him. "Those stripes across my back are normally dark blue."

Pixel's eyes widened with surprise and she nodded her understanding. She'd assumed he had those stripes because of the virus but she decided not to mention it.

"Did you ever go to school in the city?" he asked.

"No, it wasn't easy for us. Someone would fly up onto the island every day."

He snorted and looked back at the table. "You're lucky."

There was a long pause between them, and Pixel found herself mirroring him as she hugged her knees into her chest. It was a long time ago, but she remembered those lessons with the little floette. Five times a week she flew up onto the island by pidgeot. The class was small, made up of the nine pokemon that were of a close age to Pixel. She loved those lessons. Times spent laughing with Retro, Leaf, Nano and Chip while the floette good-naturedly told them to pay attention.

"I really wanted friends," said Vector.

She looked up at him again, but his eyes were distant, reflecting the candlelight.

"Instead it got to such a degree I couldn't bring myself to go back to school," he said. "I had to be taught at home. By the time I was to apply to college I couldn't do it. I stayed home and taught myself. Hours and hours spent on a computer learning robotics, mechanics. Reading about engines. Staying up all night playing games and talking on forums with pokemon who had the same interests as me. Pokemon who couldn't see what I look like..."

Candlelight reflected off tears in his eyes. She wondered if he even knew he was talking to her any more.

"Then the humans arrived," he went on. "No one wanted them here, and I sympathised. It wasn't their fault, they're not here by choice. Those poor creatures were desperate to get home, back to a world where they fit in. If there was anything I could do to help I would do it. So I started designing things and discussing them with friends I'd made but never met. None of my ideas worked, but they got the interest of a pokemon named Raw. I chatted with him for a few days and he invited me to join his team. He wanted to meet me..."

"And... you did?"

He glanced up at her, meeting her eyes briefly. "He was the first pokemon to not even comment on my stripes."

"And I'm sure he won't be the last." Pixel gave him a warm smile. "Plus, you have friends now. You've got me, Switch, Retro, N00b..."

A smile spread across his lips. One that lit up his entire face. She couldn't help but smile back and for a moment everything felt fine. The mission was wiped completely from her mind for just that moment, then it all came rushing back. The falling islands. Leaf. The cracks.

"Pixel, are you okay?"

She looked back up at him and forced a smile. She wanted desperately to keep those memories at bay.

"I'm fine. Just... I kinda wanna take my mind off things, you know?"

He nodded stiffly. "I get that."

She released her knees to lean back on the arm of the chair and clapped her paws together.

"I know! After all this is over, what do you want to do?"

His eyes went distant and he diverted his gaze to the wall. "Pixel, I don't think I-"

"No!" She caught him in a glare and shook her head. "We're not thinking like that. Let's say everything is going to be okay. The Fracture is gone, the virus is gone. What do you want to do?"

He stared back at her and as the initial alarm left his eyes she felt her glare melt away. It was such an intense stare but it didn't make her feel uneasy. She wasn't sure when she'd stopped feeling uneasy. His two tails twitched then flopped over the side of the sofa as his eyes searched her. Whatever he was looking for she didn't know. To her it was just a simple question but maybe he'd not thought that far ahead?

Switch wanted to see the Analog Isles.

She wanted to get her investigation team back together.

Maybe Vector had no plans. Maybe he'd felt there was no need to make any.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and was about to apologise when the meowstic clambered towards her and caught her in a kiss. He trailed a paw over the fur on the back of her head and neck, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him, relishing in his closeness. When he pulled away, he nuzzled her cheek and pulled her into him.

She felt herself relax in his arms and she buried her face into his soft fur.

When he spoke, his voice came out as barely a whisper. "I want to be with you."

That lump rose back into her throat, bringing with it a choked sob as the very thoughts she'd been trying to shut out came back like an avalanche, creating a massive barricade that chilled her to the core. She snuggled into him, hiding her face in his ruff as his paw brushed slowly up and down her back, but it couldn't soothe away the rising dread and uncertainty that only intensified with every second that ticked by.

...

It was still dark when Pixel next opened her eyes. At some point she'd fallen asleep but she had no idea how long for. The candlelight gave enough light to go by and she found herself still lying in Vector's arms, his blue eyes locked onto hers. He brushed a paw over her cheek and gave her a weak smile.

"How long have I been asleep?" she croaked.

"You were asleep when I got here," came Switch's voice.

Her spine stiffened and she craned her neck around to see Switch huddled in his talonflame form by the tunnel's opening. A quick glance around the control room told her everyone was awake but her. Retro was sat in her computer chair, sprawled over her desk with a mug of juice. The only real activity came from the unown who busied about the room gathering supplies together.

"We were going to wake you both soon, actually," Switch went on.

Pixel pushed herself up and leant back against the sofa beside Vector. "You're gathering supplies?"

"Yes," said Retro. The mew turned her chair to face her. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink. "I was thinking about it most of the night, what Vector suggested. And I've decided I agree with him."

Vector's eyes widened with surprise.

"We do need to stop it," Retro went on. "And if there's a chance he can erase the problem at its source then... then stopping him would be wrong."

"So we're going to the Fracture?" Pixel asked. "All of us?"

Retro nodded sullenly.

"When?" asked Pixel.

"As soon as you two are ready to go. We've been busy for the past..." The mew rubbed at her temples and sank into her chair. "I don't even know what time it is..."

"We might have an idea once we're out of this tunnel," said Switch. "My guess is it's daylight."

He didn't look up at any of them. Just huddled in the tunnel's mouth with his feathers puffed out. Pixel didn't know what the reason was, but if she were to guess it would either be recent events or just being uncomfortable being underground. He had been forced to spend most of his time as a talonflame simply due to size constraints, and bird pokemon weren't exactly cut out for living underground.

"Well, I'm ready now," said Vector.

Pixel's heart lurched into her throat and she looked around at him.

"To be honest, I just want to get this over with," he said.

She clasped a paw to her chest and looked away. It was happening now. Soon they would be at the Fracture, and the thought of what might happen, the sheer uncertainty of it all, filled her with dread.

"Don't be so hasty," said Retro. "I do have requirements, and if you want our help you need to follow them."

Vector stared unblinkingly at her and his paws balled into fists. Nevertheless, he didn't say anything.

"When you go beyond that wall," Retro said slowly, "you take a wireless communicator with you. That way, all being well, we can stay in contact."

"Communications are down," Vector said with a flash of his canines. "Or did you forget that?"

"Oh, I didn't forget." She reached into her bag and pulled out a large lump of plastic. Rectangle, like a very blocky phone with a chunky antennae. "This is a walkie talkie. I have three, and they all work together. You are to take two in with you, just in case one gets damaged."

A hint of confusion spread over his face as he stared at the device. The mew's revelation of owning such an outdated technology had taken him by surprise, but such things no longer had that affect on Pixel. Retro had always lived up to her name.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll take your 'walkie talkie'."

"Good!" Retro floated off her seat and bobbed towards the tunnel. "If Pixel's ready, we'll leave."

Pixel stared after her for a moment before sliding off the sofa. Vector was already on his feet and he fastened his paw around hers. It made her feel a little more at ease.

"How are we getting there?" she ventured to ask.

"Teleport," said the mew. "I can't get us all there in one go, however. Moving blindly would be a disaster. I might land us amongst all those cracks, so we'll have to go with caution." She glanced back at them over her shoulder. "It might take a while."

Switch ducked aside to let Retro pass then twisted awkwardly around to move into the tunnel.

Light was already visible at the end of it, the sun's golden rays flowing through the jungle's canopy and lighting up the various flora. Crack after crack competed against the sunlight with its ultraviolet glare, several new threads warping tree branches and distorting the thick ferns and vines. A large branch lay across their path just outside the outcrop's cave.

"I feel like it gets worse with every passing second," said Switch.

He spread his wings out in a stretch, causing his spine to pop and he let out a long sigh.

"Well, hopefully soon this will all be over," said Retro.

She looked up at the canopy and turned on the spot, searching through the trees and humming to herself in thought. Finally she nodded and turned to address the group.

"If you're ready, we're going to begin teleporting. I should warn you if you've not done it before it might make you a little sick."

There was a flash of pink and Pixel found herself engulfed in a large bubble along with the rest of her friends. There wasn't much time to process it as the world distorted around them, then vanished briefly before it appeared once more. More trees. More jungle. A pause as Retro calculated her next move.

Switch groaned and leant back against the bubble, his wing feathers pressed over his face. The mew gave him a sympathetic smile before she moved them on, and the world distorted again.

...

The sun had moved across the sky by the time they reached the Fracture. Trees and cities had made it very hard for Retro to navigate her teleportation around the cracks. Despite being immune to the virus none of them had wanted to take any risks with the cracks. They worked in a different way and fear of the unknown had encouraged them to proceed with caution.

Once freed from the bubble, Pixel stepped forward and looked up at the wall of static. It was surrounded by those cracks. They were thicker than she'd ever seen them, slicing through trees and buildings that had long since been destroyed by them. The very ground itself looked like it had been sliced to bits. Deep, violet grooves ran through the ground like a web making it look like chunks of earth were merely floating in a void. She cautiously stepped over one as she made her way towards the wall of static.

Numbers raced up the wall, changing so quickly she could barely take it in. It was just like the distorted code that rose up from those egg shells, only much denser, hiding whatever lay beyond the Fracture's wall.

"Don't be so hasty!" Retro appeared beside her and thrust the large walkie talkie into her paws. "I want to double check these work first."

Switch, now in his human form, removed his hand from his head to take the second one. All colour had drained from his face and hadn't returned quite yet.

The mew warped a few feet away and spoke into her handset. Static crackled from Pixel's device, followed by Retro's voice.

"Can you hear me?"

Pixel felt a smile spread across her face and she pushed the large green button before replying. "I can hear you."

"Good." The device crackled for a moment, then, "Switch? You didn't answer me."

"I can hear you loud and clear," he mumbled.

Pixel was pleasantly surprised she could hear him coming through her handset as well.

Retro warped back and looked at each of them in turn. "I can't deny I'm worried sick. But I wish you all the best." She paused and fumbled with the handset. "Go save our world."

X darted over her shoulder and stopped in front of her face. "Yes, and please! Be x-tra careful!"

Amp let out a long groan and bobbed in a way Pixel assumed meant he was shaking his head. "Puns at a time like this, X?"

"I was being x-tremely sincere, actually."

Pixel smiled at them then took Retro's paw in her own. "We'll try our best. But should anything happen, please find Nybble and Byte. I'm worried about them."

"Oh, yeh," said Switch. "They'll probably be with Connor by now. If you go to Spool City and look for a trubbish named Kurg, he'll show you where his hideout is."

Retro narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Don't talk like this."

Pixel gave her paw a squeeze then stood back and faced the wall of static. She gave one last look at the mew and unown, then looked up at her two friends. Vector fastened his paw around hers and gave her a reassuring nod.

Switch smiled warmly and slipped the walkie talkie into one of his trouser pockets.

"Let's do this together," he said. "On three. One... two..."

They stepped through the wall and immediately Pixel could feel her fur standing on end. A low hiss reached her ears and everything turned black. But she could still feel the ground beneath her feet and Vector's paw fastened over hers. She still kept walking.

Then light.

Light was leaking down above them, through the static wall that expanded over them like a dome, criss-crossed with a thick net of cracks. Surrounding them lay a city in ruin. Buildings with their roofs caved in, crumbling skyscrapers sliced through with cracks, vehicles discarded beside the road and against walls where they'd been tossed by the explosion, twisted and bent lamp posts, blank billboards, and in the distance a warped antennae no longer blinking its light.

Desolate.

A loud crunch startled Pixel so much she squealed. She span around just as Switch lifted his foot off a splintered piece of hollow metal. A wing broken free from a body that resembled a small helicopter.

"It's one of the drones," said Vector. His voice and that crunch amplified just how silent it was in this place. Not even a breeze drifted through it.

"They didn't get very far, huh?" said Switch. He turned to look back at the wall and reached out with his hand. "Well, there's no going back now. This is rock solid."

Both Pixel and Vector copied him, the cool surface penetrating her fur. It felt just like a stone wall. She swallowed drily and stood back from it.

"We should let Retro know we're through at least." She lifted the walkie talkie to her mouth and pushed the button. "Retro, we're through."  
Silence. Nothing but silence.

Her heart sank and she looked up at Switch. "I don't think I'm getting through to her."  
A look of concern creased Switch's features and he pulled out his own device. He barked a few 'hellos' into it, receiving nothing back. With a sigh, he stuffed it back into his pocket.

"Unfortunately, it looks like that wall cuts off all communication." He scratched his head and looked back down at the damaged drone. "That would explain why those drones didn't get very far."

Pixel followed his gaze along the static wall. A few feet away lay another two drones and what looked like a camera.

Vector placed a paw on her shoulder, drawing her attention back to him. "Since we can't get back out, we might as well do what we came here for then."

Switch had picked up the drone and was turning it around in his hands. He looked over at the two pokemon and quickly placed it back on the ground.

"I guess you're right." He trotted after them and folded his hands behind his head.

With every step they took, something seemed strange. Pixel wasn't sure if it was just an illusion created by the unsettling element of the place, but there was something really not quite right. She scanned her eyes over the passing buildings, eyeing the windows. Some still had paper signs behind them advertising games and movies that were long outdated. This was a city frozen in time.

"Wait... guys..."

Switch faltered behind them and they stopped to look back at him.

"What?" Pixel asked.

"The door..." He pointed at the skyscraper beside her.

When she turned to look, a gasp escaped her throat. The door was gone. Just a wall of stone with the building's number placed beside where the door was meant to be.

"I thought something looked weird," said Vector. "Why would the door be missing?"

"I don't know." Switch moved closer to them, tracing his eyes over the buildings. "I keep thinking I can see something moving, but... it's the doors!" He span to look back at the skyscraper. "They're moving!"

Pixel followed his gaze and her jaw dropped. The door was back, right at the edge of the building. She shook her head and moved backwards, her eyes locked on that door. With every step she took it moved, and not consecutively. It either leapt a few feet back and fro from the number, or vanished entirely. It wasn't the only one either. Every door around them either moved with every footstep or just warped randomly along its wall.

"I don't like this at all," said Switch.

"Neither do I," said Vector. "But like you said, there's no going back. We need to find this source and erase it."

"I know. I know." Switch fastened his hands back behind his head and began to whistle a cheery tune as he strode along beside them.

Vector narrowed his eyes at him. " _What_ are you doing?"

"This place is really giving me the creeps," he said. "I thought I'd at least try to add a bit of cheer to this awful silence."

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	36. Missing Number

**A/N - So close to the end! =D To ease confusion, the Fracture is filled with glitches. Pretty much all of them are specific to the Gen 1 games. Moving doors I think was a glitch only found in Japanese copies of Red and Green. I read up a lot on different glitches - even watched some videos about them on YouTube (exploding bulbasaur being one of them. Exploding pokemon that come out of bad eggs is a hat tip to that. Bit of a creative licence on my part) You can find all glitches on Bulbapedia if you want to give them a read =D**

 **Thanks again for all reviews, faves, reads and follows! =D**

35 – Missing Number

No amount of time spent in this place could get them used to the changing doors. It was just too eerie. Each time one moved set Pixel on edge. She didn't understand how Vector could just tune them out like he did. He just kept walking, scanning his eyes over everything they passed, searching for something that none of them even knew how to identify.

They had to move slowly, keeping one arm outstretched since on several occasions they'd reached an invisible wall that had forced them to walk into the road or take a different path entirely. It had given rise to a lot of confusion as the invisible walls didn't make much sense. They just appeared, like solid invisible buildings in the middle of their path or jutting out from one of the stone walls.

In the short time they'd been there, Switch had changed from whistling to humming, but his voice wavered with nerves which only served to unsettle her further. She wound her scarf around her paws while she tried to spot anything that might key them in as to what they were actually looking for.

Vector stopped abruptly in his tracks and his ears stiffened.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

Switch immediately stopped his humming, plunging them into silence. The three of them stood there, straining their ears against nothing.

"I'm sorry," said Pixel. "Maybe you imagined-"

"Shh!" Vector placed a paw on her arm and inclined his head on one side.

A sob. Pixel's heart leapt into her throat. It was very quiet. Almost inaudible. If it weren't for the city's unusual silence they would never have even heard it.

"Do you think there's someone in here?" she whispered.

"I don't know." Vector released her and slowly moved across the road, following that heart-wrenching sob. Before he even reached the other side, the sound faded. He crossed his arms and grunted. "Great."

"I don't know if I want to follow it, if I'm honest," said Switch. "I think it's fairly safe to say no one's alive in this place."  
Another sound reached their ears. An explosion, or the build up to it. Pixel braced herself for an impact, but before the noise could even reach a crescendo it stopped, followed by that sob.

Vector scurried over to the sidewalk and vanished around the bend. Pixel shook her head in disbelief and followed after him. There was no way she was losing him in this place. Switch's heavy footsteps resounded after her, unusually loud. Part of her wondered if they should even make any noise in this place. If something was alive there was no saying it was on their side. Making a sound would only give them away.

When she found Vector again he was standing in a square. Empty market stalls lay scattered around, the wooden structures splintered and sticking out in dangerous, jagged points. A strange form lay against one of the stone walls. A pokemon, or what used to be one. The lower half of its body had turned to stone, but the upper part still resembled a throh in every way. Lying before him was an egg.

Vector stared at the throh, his jaw hanging open as though he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. He took one tentative step towards him and cleared his throat.

"Raw?"

The throh turned his neck stiffly but when his eyes landed on the meowstic they widened with a mixture of fear and surprise.

"Vector?" He shook his head slowly. "What... what happened to you?"

Vector flexed his paws as he stared at the other pokemon then glanced away. "It's a long story. Where's everyone else?"

"I don't know," said Raw. "That bomb didn't hold out long enough. Something triggered it. We all got... tossed into the air and when I finally landed I was transformed into this." He gestured to his grey lower half. "Right here it's just me and Sprocket."

Everyone's eyes went to the egg.

"Poor kid," said Raw. "I just can't watch this any more."

Vector took a step back as the egg began to glow, pushing Pixel towards the wall. Egg shell exploded out in all directions with a deafening roar then froze in the air, the sound coming to a sudden stop. Amongst the debris lay the small form of a pachirisu huddled into a ball with her paws clasped over her head. Her tiny body shook with sobs. There wasn't a single hint of the virus anywhere on her body.

Pixel took a step towards her, but Vector held her back. He'd heard it before she did. A sucking sound grew in intensity and every piece of shell flew back towards her into the perfect, unblemished form of an egg.

Switch hugged himself and looked around nervously. "Oh, I want to get out of this place."  
"You and me both, brother," said Raw.

They fell into silence again, eyes drifting from the egg to the throh and back. Vector's paws twitched and he took a small step towards his friend.

"Raw... I can fix this."

"No." Raw stiffly raised a paw. "Save the world first, then worry about us."

Vector stuttered with confusion but Raw waved him off.

"I don't know what happened after that explosion," the throh said. "But seeing you all white like that is enough to tell me something's gone wrong. You didn't come inside the Fracture with us, did you? Maybe that was a good thing. We clearly made a mistake. But listen... there's a lab. You know there's a lab. I always thought they had something to do with all this. They were meant to be investigating and curing diseases, but they were awful secretive. There's no hacking their systems now, it all got wiped out. But before it did, I got curious and I found something." He looked up at them, locking his eyes onto Vectors. "They were trying to make something. A pokemon."

The egg exploded again, the shell freezing in the exact same spot it had before. Sprocket's sobs cut through the silence making Raw visibly flinch.

"I didn't find out anything else," he said. "I got too scared to keep searching. The thought of artificially making a pokemon turned my stomach. It saw the end to my hacking days. There are some things better left uncovered."

Switch tensed and his face creased into a frown. "A lab?"

"Aye." Raw nodded. "Sounds perfectly innocent enough, huh?"

"There was a lab where I was staying..."

Switch's voice sounded oddly distant. Pixel looked up at him but he stared blankly across at the splintered market stalls.

That sucking sound cut through the air, engulfing the pachirisu once more and bringing her sobs to a sudden halt.

"Where can we find this lab?" Vector asked the throh.

"I had it memorised," said Raw. "It's somewhere near the centre. Keep following the main road and you should reach it. But I must warn you, if it were the lab that blew up I don't know how much of it is left standing."

Vector nodded. "All right. We'll get to the bottom of this. You'll get your body back." He looked down at the egg and his paws twitched. "Both of you."

It wasn't obvious if Sprocket had heard him, but Pixel really hoped she had. That hearing it would give the frightened pachirisu some hope. They turned away from the two pokemon and Vector gave one last glance back before they rounded the corner back onto the main road.

...

There it was. The lab. Its size and appearance intimidating in the ruined city. The roof lay caved in at one end and the wall beneath it had crumbled away. However there was no reaching that end of it as an invisible building blocked their path.

"I guess we have no choice but to use the door," said Pixel.

"I wouldn't want to walk through a crumbling wall anyway," said Switch. "Who knows whether it'll just come piling down on top of us?"

"He makes a good point," said Vector. "But we might have another problem."

He eyed the door as they approached it, watching as it slipped along to the left where it eventually stopped beyond the invisible wall.

Vector let out a frustrated breath and moved towards it, but the door vanished and reappeared behind them at the far end of the building. Pixel watched it advance towards them as though it was stalking Vector, but when the meowstic looked back and tried to reach it, the door moved back the way it came.

Switch stroked his chin in thought. "Hang on, let me try something."

Vector looked from Switch to the door as the human paced back and forth. With every step he took the door vanished and reappeared somewhere else on the wall, but not once did it appear directly before them.

"It seems to behave differently depending on who's moving," said Pixel.

Vector threw his arms in the air. "Oh, this is so frustrating! I'm just gonna blast our way through the wall!"

"No!" Switch grabbed his paw and tugged him backwards. "Don't! You've seen the state of it! You might bring the whole building down!"

Vector growled through his teeth and tugged his paw back from Switch's hand, but instead of lashing out at the wall he took a steadying breath and brushed his arm down.

"Fine," he muttered.

He looked the building up and down, searching for another clear way inside. Pixel glanced back at the door perched several feet away from them and took a step towards it. The door slid along towards them. With another step it warped and appeared on Vector's left. Its unpredictable movements were impossible to work with. She let out a small sigh and edged towards Vector, but as she moved the door stopped right before him.

He glanced at her and muttered, "Don't move."

It wasn't clear if he was talking to her or the door. He grabbed the handle in one paw and shook it, muttering under his breath. The door was locked tight. He raised his paw and brought it crashing down on the handle, shattering it free from the wood and sending it with a deafening clatter onto the concrete where it bounced away behind them.

"Subtle," said Switch.

Vector didn't so much as look at him. He slipped beyond the door into the laboratory.

Pixel and Switch exchanged glances and he waved towards the opening.

"After you," he said.

She gave him a smile then rushed for the door.

Which moved.

Her heart sank. It was going to take them forever to get inside.

"It's split us up," she said.

"Don't worry, I have an idea," said Switch. "But you'll have to forgive me."

"Forgive you?" She looked up at him to press for more information but instead she let out a squeak as he scooped her up off her feet.

"This is the only way I can think of for us to stay together," he said. "Just pretend we're flying."

She fastened her claws into the shoulder of his jacket and looked back over her shoulder at the wall. It was impossible to imagine they were flying. It was nowhere near as smooth. With every step he took she felt herself jostled against his chest. She focused her attention on the door, watching it vanish and reappear randomly. He'd move left and the door would warp several feet to the right. He'd move right and it would move beyond the invisible wall. Back to the left sent it further beyond the wall to stand alone amongst the crumbled debris.

It was too risky to take more than one step. If he went too fast they would risk missing the door entirely. After what felt like an eternity, they heard Vector's voice beyond the wall.

"Don't move!"

Switch froze, clutching Pixel to his body as they both stared at the door two paces to his left.

It vanished and reappeared so it was directly in front of them. Vector's blue eyes leered at them from the doorway.

Switch didn't wait around to ask questions. He ducked through the door and once inside he set Pixel back down onto the ground.

"I'm sorry about that," he said. "I do try to respect boundaries here since, you know... you're not pets like back in my world."

Pixel brushed down her scarf and gave him a small smile. "It's okay. You do bounce a lot though."

He grinned and folded his arms behind his head. "I've always been told I have a spring in my step." His smile fell and he looked back down at Vector. "So, how did you know where the door would end up?"

"Easy," said Vector. "When I walked down this corridor it appeared right before me. I guess, somehow, the building wants me out. I tried it a couple of times and I was going to tell you to wait right where the door appeared. Finding you directly outside it was just a coincidence."

"Huh! Impressive." Switch looked back at the open door. "I guess it'll be easy to escape if we need to then?"

"I guess." Vector turned away and began marching down the corridor.

Pixel and Switch fell into place behind him, eyeing up the walls as they passed. Noticeboards were nailed to the walls, filled with old notes about events long since past, or information on hygiene and diseases. The thought of any viruses or bacteria lying in spilled pots beyond those walls unsettled her greatly.

They reached a set of double doors at a crossroads in the corridor. Beyond that door was a large room and on either side of them the corridor stretched out on either side, lined with door after door. Vector took the left one and Switch immediately stopped him.

"Do you have a plan?" he asked.

Vector looked back at him and shrugged him off. "Yeh. I want to go to the explosion site."

"And what if it caves in?"

A small grin spread across Vector's face and he laughed. "Are you forgetting I smashed your foot free of rocks? I think I could deflect a cave in."

"Yes. _You_ might be safe," said Switch. "But what about us two? We'd be crushed."

Vector looked from Switch to Pixel and his smile fell. His eyes softened with worry and he let his paws relax at his side. "You don't have to come with me. In fact, don't. I'll go and explore then I'll meet you back here and tell you what I find."

Pixel placed a paw on her chest and looked over his shoulder down the dark corridor. She could see the pile of debris at the end. The faint light leaking in through the crevices in the wall. If that was where the Fracture happened then that might be where the source was.

"No," she said. "I'm coming with you. I told you I would. You're not doing this alone."

He locked his blue eyes on hers as he searched for a response. There was no sign of anger on his face, but his two tails swished from side to side stirring up the thick dust that had settled after the explosion. Finally they returned to their default position behind him and he took her paw in his.

"I can't guarantee your safety," he said. "But I get the feeling you'll just follow me anyway."

A small smile played at her lips and he returned it before he turned to advance down the corridor, letting her fall into place beside him.

Switch looked around nervously then ducked through the doorway to follow after them.

"You're coming too?" Vector asked.

"I've come this far haven't I?" said Switch. "I might as well see it all the way through."

Unlike the doors outside, the ones along the corridor remained static. Each small window showed nothing but darkness and in the end Pixel gave up trying to see beyond them. They were all locked shut and Vector had no interest in bursting through them. His focus was on the crumbling structure at the end of the corridor.

The closer they got to it the more light there was to go by. She could now make out the signs above the doors. 'Berry Treatment'; 'Poisons and Antidotes'; 'Burn Lab'. Then one room caught Vector's attention. 'Evolution'.

His brow furrowed and he released Pixel's paw to peer inside. "The wall in here is blown in."

"That's not surprising," said Switch. "We're right near the explosion site."

"Evolution," Vector muttered. "They were trying to make a new pokemon... I wonder..."

He tried the door, but once again it was locked. He braced himself to strike it, but Switch nudged him aside.

"I've got this one," he said.

He brought his boot down against the woodwork, creating a sickening crack as the wood splintered around the hinges. Another kick saw the door thrown backwards into the room.

"There," said Switch. "I thought I'd save you the effort."

Vector looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "You could have brought the rest of the building down on us with that little stunt."

"And your counter attack would have been perfectly safe?"

The meowstic shrugged and slipped into the room, treading carefully around the shattered door.

Pixel followed after him, her eyes scanning over the room and taking in the mess of paperwork, crumbled rock, broken tables and scattered elemental stones.

"You think this is where they were making that new pokemon?" she asked.

"I think it's very likely," said Vector. He lifted a small, round stone out of the debris and turned it around in his paw. "Looks like they were covering every aspect of it too. They even have mega stones."

"Maybe they were trying to make a mega meowstic?" said Switch.

Vector frowned at him. "Is this really the time to make jokes?"

Switch simply shrugged.

Pixel gathered up a fallen notebook, sending a few loose pages back to the ground. She flicked it open and glanced over the first page. A large, red 'confidential' stamp was printed right beside the title.

"Finding the missing link," she read. "A confusing mystery in evolution."

Vector appeared at her side and looked over her shoulder, his eyes scanning over the title. Switch scooped up the torn pages and leafed through them.

"Whatever this missing link is, they did thorough work," he said.

The room dimmed and warped around them, and Pixel let out a gasp when she found herself standing in a dark room lit only with ultraviolet light. The file was no longer in her paws but the room was littered with papers that in this light seemed impossibly white, and Vector's fur seemed luminous under the light from the dark sky. Something glittered red in the corner and she looked up at a statue of a persian, its eyes blinking from red to green and back.

"Where are we?" she asked. "This... this isn't the lab..."

Switch stooped to grab some of the papers off the floor. "These are different to the ones you dropped," he said. "This... this is talking about mew."

She tentatively grabbed one of the papers and swallowed drily. She couldn't even read the title. It was in some language unknown to her.

Vector took it from her and turned it around to view it from every angle. "This makes no sense. What language is this?"

"It's a human language," said Switch. He leant over him and pointed at the title, "'The Mystery of Mew – Cloning from a Fossil.'"

"Mystery of mew?" Vector repeated with a snort.

"I think we're in my world," said Switch slowly. "Back in my world... mew is classed as a 'mirage'. Humans claim to have seen one but... it's been dismissed as a legend. They don't exist."

"That's why you were so surprised when I told you about Retro!" said Pixel.

"Exactly. But what I don't understand is how they can clone something no one has ever confirmed to exist." He leant back on a dusty table and scanned over the documents in his hands.

Pixel and Vector waited patiently for the human to explain, straining their ears to pick up what he was muttering beneath his breath. Pixel found her eyes wandering while she waited. The room looked just like any other lab, but everything was broken. The wall was blown through just like the room they'd been in before. But that persian statue unnerved her. Sitting, staring, its eyes flashing from green to red, looking like it would pounce at any second.

"They found a fossil," Switch finally said. "They were trying to clone it from one of its hairs. But where..." He lowered the papers and looked over at the rubble. Then he stood and rushed from the room.

"Wait!" Vector bolted after him.

Then the room warped once more and Switch froze in the corridor, stumbling to stop himself crashing into the wall.

"Well that was fortunate," said Vector. "I don't trust this place one bit."

Switch placed his hand on the wall and shook his head. "Me neither. Why were we just in my world?"

"If this is where you came through then it kinda makes sense," said Vector. "I think we're closer to your world than we realise. Those invisible walls..."

"They're buildings," Switch finished.

"Yeh. I kinda worked that out before you took off. You could have got stuck in a wall or something if we came back. We need to move carefully if that happens again."

Pixel felt a chill run down her spine at that thought and she shook her fur violently. "I really want to get out of here."

"Well, we need to suss this out first." Vector moved back into the room and retrieved the dropped file, flicking it open to the first page. "Finding the missing link," he read. "All pokemon lay eggs and hatch young, but one particular pokemon had confused us for centuries. Kangaskhan. This pokemon, which is only female, always hatches with a joey in its pouch which remains with it all the way through into adulthood and then death, never ageing but seemingly sentient. Why is this? We intend to find out."

"So they were researching kangaskhan?" Switch scratched his hair. "Back in my world we see the joey as a symbiotic parasite that every kangaskhan carries."

Vector was flicking through the pages, quickly scanning over them. "This says one of their theories is that the joey is actually the male and the two have never separated. Listen to this – 'During mega evolution, the joey leaves the pouch and fights with the 'mother'. This is evidence that somehow the joey can be separated. That it is actually a separate entity.'"

"Were they actually running tests on a kangaskhan?" Pixel asked.

"Yes. They had a volunteer. I'm just skimming over them, they seem pretty generic." Vector's expression had grown bored and he looked like he was about to put the folder down, but then something caught his attention and his eyes widened. "Looks like they never finished the experiment."

"Well, this place did blow up," said Switch. "I imagine a lot of experiments were left unfinished."

"Maybe some of the loose pages finish it?" Pixel offered.

"There might be. This is dated a week before the explosion," said Vector. "They had removed the joey and were keeping it separate from the kangaskhan to see how it reacted when it was alone. Three scientists were left during night shifts to monitor it and to try to avoid any adverse effects." He looked over at the rubble at the end of the corridor. "And they were doing those tests in the evolution research lab."

He tucked the folder under his arm and moved over to the pile of rubble at the end of the corridor.

"You don't seriously think they're linked to that explosion?" Switch asked. "It was just a kangaskhan."

Vector adjusted the folder in his grip and tried to clamber over the crumbling rocks. Switch gave a heavy sigh and shook his head.

"All right, fine," he said. "But if we get crushed..."

He shrank down into a talonflame and rose into the air, grabbing Vector in his talons. The meowstic let out a small yelp of surprise but he wasn't in the air for long. He was deposited into the wide lab space and was soon joined by Pixel and Switch.

Before any of them could take in the room it dimmed and they found themselves in that ultraviolet world. Another persian statue stared at them from beside the crumbled mound through a pair of blinking eyes. The whole room was filled with large glass cylinders, their surfaces cracked and shattered. Glass littered the floor amongst pools of dried blood that looked alarming under the ultraviolet rays. Above them was a gaping hole where the roof had been blown in during an immense explosion.

Switch was shaking from head to foot and he ran a hand through his red and brown hair.

"I can't handle this," he muttered.

Pixel looked up at him with a sympathetic nod and clasped her paws together as she looked over the room. One of those cylinders wasn't like the others. It was lying in total ruin, sharp shards of thick glass sticking up from the base. She moved over to it and ducked to read the sign just below where the glass would have met the metal.

"I can't read this," she said. "I think it's in your language again."  
Switch joined her and when he read the sign he let out a low groan and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Mewtwo," he said.

Both Pixel and Vector looked up at him and she wound her scarf around her paws.

"I've not heard of a 'mewtwo'," she said.

"No, I guess not," said Switch. "Neither have I. I'm guessing, like porygon, it's man-made."

"So you humans were creating pokemon?" Vector grunted.

"Apparently." Switch stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked over at the state of the room. The rubble. The glass. The blood. The destroyed roof. "But I'm guessing it backfired."

The room warped around them once more, bringing them back into the evolution research lab. Tables scattered on the ground burnt and broken, the floor littered with paperwork most of which was singed black, shattered computers and what looked like two beds covered in a glass casing, each one beside the remains of a large ECG machine that lay in pieces on the ground. One pod was cracked while the other looked like it had been blown open as something tried to escape. Pixel wondered if it had been the kangaskhan.

"Hey, guys." Switch was looking down at the papers on the table, spreading them out with one hand. "Did you know every pokemon species is numbered?"

"What do you mean?" Vector joined his side and took one of the sheets.

"This lab. It has every species catalogued and numbered. My world does the same thing, but it varies depending what country you're from. They've highlighted the kangaskhan."

Vector narrowed his eyes at the list. "So they have."

Pixel peered over his shoulder, noting the arrow beside the kangaskhan's name. "'Missing Number?'"

"I guess that's what they were calling the joey." Vector placed the list back on the table and looked back at the two beds. "It's a shame we'll never know exactly what happened here."

He moved over to them and pulled himself up to look inside the one that was cracked. His eyes flew wide open and he backed away from it, his paw going to his chest.

"Is... is something still inside there?" Switch's voice came out oddly high and his golden eyes went to the cracked pod.

"It's the kangaskhan," Vector managed. "What's left of her anyway."

 _Mama?  
_  
All three of them stiffened and twisted their heads to pinpoint the child-like voice.

 _Mama!_

But it was impossible. It seemed to be screaming from everywhere at once.

 _Mama! Mama! Mama!_

The computer monitor beside Switch sparked and the tower lit up, noisily humming to life. The speaker crackled and popped, drowning out the eerie voice, then a recording broke through the static, the words coming out in bursts as the audio cut at odd intervals.

 _'Something's going wrong!'_

 _'Nothing's … wrong. It's fine.'_

 _'No, the kangaskhan! … heart's stopped!'_

 _'What are you talking about? She was fine five minutes ago!'_

 _'… to the emergency room! Stat!'_

 _'What about the joey? I can't … it! It's gone savage!'_

 _'Then leave it! We … to hurry!'_

 _'No! Mama! Bring back my mama!'_

 _Banging. Crackling. Shattering glass._

The voices in the audio merged together as panic increased, interspersed with banging and screaming from a tormented child. The next comprehensible words were; _'Fire!' 'There's a fire!' 'Get out of here! Now!'_

Then the audio cut out.

Silence.

Pixel's breath came in heavy bursts and she was aware of her friends' breathing as each of them stood, motionless, bracing themselves in case something else happened. The broken computer had fallen silent, its monitor no longer sparking.

 _Mama?_

Everyone's breath froze and their eyes went back to the pods. They now seemed a lot more ominous than they had previously.

Pixel took in the shattered casing, the damaged ECG machine with its frazzled wires. The audio played through her mind and she could almost see the chaos playing out in the room. The source of that fire. But what had exploded?

Exploding eggs.

That blood.

Her paws flew to her mouth as she tried her best to block out the image of that kangaskhan joey meeting the same fate as the pokemon that hatched from those eggs.

All this was the result of a terrible mistake.

The Fracture hadn't just started with that explosion. It had started the day that joey had been separated from its mother.

...

 **Please R &R! =D**


	37. Erased

**A/N - Here is the first of the final two chapters, both uploaded today! I hope you enjoy them!**

36 – Erased

No one knew how long they'd been stood, frozen, staring at those pods. The eerie voice had faded away, leaving them stood in complete silence.

Pixel just wanted to get away. The audio recording kept playing back in her mind, coupled with the graphic image of the poor kangaskhan joey frantically trying to get back to its dying mother.

Things still didn't make sense, but the Fracture had something to do with both worlds. Something that linked them both together. Two explosions, both the result of terrible experiments that should never have been done in the first place.

Her spine stiffened as soft rustling reached her ears and she braced herself to flee. The rustling was coming from the shattered pod, growing more static with each burst. Then something leapt out of it, a ball that appeared to be made out of the same substance that surrounded the Fracture. White and grey static filled with a distorted code that moved and changed. As the sphere floated up into the air it shifted shape to an hourglass, then a cone, then a sphere again as it bobbed away.

"What is that?" Switch asked. "A pokemon?"

"My guess would be the first virus victim," said Vector.

He moved over to it slowly and the static blob froze, its form becoming square.

"You're the kangaskhan joey aren't you?" said Vector. "They called you Missing Number?"

 _Mama!_

The child-like voice crackled and popped unlike the previous frantic cry.

"I thought so. That explosion trapped you like this." He gestured to the static form.

The square's base leaked out to the side forming a backwards L.

"Look, I can help you," Vector explained.

 _No! Mama! You killed her!  
_  
The L span into the air and rushed overhead, doubling back to charge at Vector.

 _Just leave us alone!_

Violet cracks shot from its body like lightning and Vector was forced to duck as Missing Number shot over his head like a dart, vanishing beyond the crumbling wall.

Vector pushed himself up onto his knees and stared after the retreating anomaly, aghast.

"Well," said Switch. "Looks like we found the source. A tormented child, or whatever the joey is, stuck in... this... I don't think it can even be explained!"

Vector shot over to the debris and vaulted over the mound.

"Wait! Vector!" Switch took off after him.

"Sorry, I can't lose it!" Vector called back. "I need to erase it, and not just for our benefit but the kangaskhan's as well!"

Switch tutted loudly and shrank down into his talonflame form.

"I don't want to lose him in here," he told Pixel. "Climb on. We'll chase after him."

She scrambled onto his back and clutched his feathers tightly as he rose into the air. Her heart was pounding in her chest. It was all too much to process, and now, as Vector chased after Missing Number – an entity that could generate those horrible cracks – she was really beginning to wish this was nothing more than a bad dream.

More questions were forming in her mind now. Was Missing Number the source of the Fracture or simply just a part of it? A living part, sucked into its mess like Raw and Sprocket? Was it really worth fighting this thing if the source was elsewhere?

Switch flailed his wings and doubled backwards as he met an invisible wall and Pixel screamed as she almost slipped from his back. Once he regained his balance he threw her a quick apology and turned his sights back on the meowstic.

Vector had chased the anomaly into a park where the flickering, warping mass of static threw more bolt-like cracks at him. Unlike the ones that filled the world outside the Fracture, these ones vanished as quickly as they appeared. The damaged, surreal world around them was unfazed by the ultraviolet lightning bolts, the surrounding structures accepting them like a mere breeze.

"He can't even get close," said Switch. "If he can't touch it then he can't erase it."

"Then what do we do?" Pixel asked. "All my attacks are close range as well."

"Then get ready to jump off," he said. "I have an idea."

He swept towards the ground and when he was low enough, Pixel released his feathers and landed awkwardly beside a ducklett-shaped topiary.

Neither Vector nor Missing Number were aware of her, but she could see them clearly. Vector rolled to the left as another bolt struck the ground where he'd been standing. Back outside, the cracks had no effect on him. But like her he was clearly doubting whether or not they could hurt him inside the Fracture, and finding out just wasn't worth the risk.

Above them, Switch hovered in the air, his feathers glowing as an intense heat radiated from his body. Pixel ducked further behind the bush to shelter herself from it, silently willing Vector to get out of the way. He looked up at the talonflame, realisation spreading across his face, and dived to the side.

Missing Number let out an ear-piercing shriek as the heat engulfed it, its voice rising and crackling until it began to sound like a speaker bursting with interference. Pixel clasped her paws over her ears to shut out the shrill, mechanical whine, but her eyes never left Vector and the strange, boxy, L-shaped anomaly. More and more violet bolts shot from its body, spreading over the benches, the motionless grass and trees. One of them brushed against Vector's white fur and he let out a yell, then froze as the bolt harmlessly moved through his body.

The look that crossed his face was a mix of frustration and relief and he snapped his attention back on Missing Number. His body became as taught as a coiled spring as he prepared himself to pounce, watching and waiting for Switch's attack to subside.

That awful cry reached a crescendo and the static body warped. Twisting and shrinking, coiling and growing. Then it exploded out to the sides as the heat dissipated, becoming more solid. Vibrant colours spread across it as the shrill electrical cry filled the air. Two wings appeared at its side as its body took on the form of a bird. Its beak was long and narrow, its wings sharp and jagged and giving off flames. Its long, ribbon like tail spread behind it, almost identical to the long feathers cascading down its back from its head.

It threw its wings out to the side and the static cry rose and fell almost melodically, then a new sound joined it. Two electrical pings, followed by a constant static fuzz.

Switch landed beside Pixel, his eyes wide with terror. "Did... did I cause that?"

The static fuzz rose into a short, buzzing growl, then Missing Number spoke, but this time the words appeared in front of it, marred by corrupted code. Its voice was still child-like, but oddly mechanical. But what stood out the most was its beak never even moved.

 _Thre4t d3tecTed. N3w f0rm t ken. N0w ccessinG dUmp m4trIx_

Switch's beak fell open. "What on earth is a dump matrix?"

 _dUmp m4trIx cce55ed. CorrUpt3D fil3z wiLL b3 eras3d. DeleTing iN 0N3... Tw0..._

Missing Number's long beak opened wide and shot out a stream of electricity straight at the topiary. Pixel leapt aside while Switch frantically flapped his wings in a desperate bid to escape. The topiary shattered to pieces and Switch found his legs and tail caught in the spray of electricity. A loud shriek flew from his beak and he crashed back down to the ground with a sick thud.

"Switch!"

Pixel threw herself towards him and reached out a paw to touch his wing. Immediately he returned to his human form and his eyes went to his watch. The screen was filled with black and white static, dancing over the display like a snowstorm.

She shook her head. "What..."

"Pixel, move!" Vector threw himself at her, sending them both rolling along the ground.

She looked back at Switch, and right where she'd been sitting rose a spiral of flames.

Missing Number turned its head and fixed its lifeless eyes on them.

 _D3tect3d r0gue ntIviru5 pR0graM. PR0graM i5 maLfuNcti0niNg. ERR0R. DeleTing..._

It opened its beak wide in a terrible screech and fired a beam of ice. Vector shoved Pixel to the side then raised his paws, bringing up a barrier of light that deflected the attack back to Missing Number. The blow struck home but all the bird did was shake its head and ready another attack. This one deflected back and struck it in the wing and the bird didn't so much as flinch.

"I can't keep doing this," Vector told Pixel. "If I keep countering its attacks we're never going to erase it."

"But... I don't know what to do," she said. "All of my attacks are close range."

Her eyes went back to Switch, his beak hanging open as he panted with the effort of standing, his legs buckling beneath him as his form switched back to human. Tears stung at her eyes and she retreated backwards, away from the monstrosity that floated before them.

"Pixel!"

 _tt4ck pRovInG inEff3cTivE. Ch4NgIng t ctiCs_

She rubbed a paw across her eyes and sobbed. It felt hopeless. What could she do? How could they possibly fight this thing?

"Pixel!

The panic in Vector's voice made her eyes snap open. A streak of ultraviolet shot towards her, lifeless eyes fixed on her over a dagger-like beak. She span away from it towards the monstrous bird, her horn arcing upwards to strike it under the chin.

Missing Number gave a deafening shriek as it rolled away from her, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor mere inches from Switch.

 _D3tecTed Thre4t inCr3a5E. ShuTtInG D0wN sYst3M_

Ultraviolet bolts fired from its body towards the sky. The static forcefield over the Fracture dimmed, plunging them into darkness. The only light coming from above them now was ultraviolet, just like the laboratory in the human world.

Pixel's heart leapt into her throat and she glanced around them at the dark park, expecting to see one of those persian statues with its blinking eyes. But everything looked the same. The shattered topiary still lay in pieces beside Switch's motionless body.

What did it mean by 'shutting down System'? She swallowed drily as she feared the world outside may be much worse than when they entered the Fracture.

Missing Number hunched forwards, fixing its eyes on Pixel and Vector. It opened its beak and let out that melodic, static cry, pinging before it ended in a long fuzz that seemed to come from all directions.

"We've seen its attacks," said Vector quietly. "It can only go for one of us at once."

Pixel felt a small jolt in her mind as his words sank in. One of them at once. That meant she needed to distract it so he could get close to it.

If that was the case, then she had to hope she was its next target.

She took a deep breath then rushed towards it, keeping herself in its line of vision. It kept its eyes on her and as she turned away turned to follow her and opened its beak wide. Flames spewed from its beak and she ducked, feeling the heat as they coiled behind her. She was close enough to strike it now. As she brought her horn up towards it she could see Vector out of the corner of her eye, rushing at it with his paw outstretched.

Its attack stopped abruptly as it turned its head round and screeched, flapping its wings as it leapt aside, narrowly avoiding Vector's paw. Her horn struck its chest and it stumbled backwards, flailing, the flames from its wings licking her fur.

She readied herself for another attack. If she could just knock it off its feet, send it to the ground, it would have no time to dodge.

The monstrosity's body jerked towards the ground and it let out a panicked shriek. Another scream joined it and Pixel looked down at Switch, his arms fastened around Missing Number's legs. Electricity coursed through his body and his face creased with pain.

Vector wasted no time. He rushed at the monster and grabbed its wing in one paw. The feathered form retreated backwards, shrinking down into itself. That horrid screech became more and more mechanical, forcing Pixel to cover her ears.

Then it cut out into a static fuzz.

 _Mama? Mama! Mama!  
_  
Light exploded through the ultraviolet, dazzling her eyes so much she had to screw them shut. But it wasn't enough. She dropped to the ground and curled into a ball, clutching her paws over her head.

That child-like cry faded away and the light dimmed with it, finally settling at a level that resembled daylight. She blinked her eyes open, and when they adjusted to the brightness she found herself lying in a ruined city with a clear view of the blue sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds that briefly blocked out the sun.

A soft breeze whipped through her fur and she felt her lips curl up into a smile.

"It's gone," she breathed.

Erratic snuffling drew her attention from the sky to Switch who was jabbing at his watch with one of his talons. When his form switched back to human, he scrambled across the floor and crouched beside a blue meowstic lying face down in the grass.

Pixel's eyes widened and she pushed herself to her feet. "Vector?"

Switch placed a hand on his head and ran it down over his shoulders, brushing over the two dark blue stripes that cut across his back.

"Come on, buddy," he whispered. "Don't do this to me."

A painful lump rose in her throat as she watched Switch scoop up Vector's limp body in both arms. He lowered his head to his chest and let out a strangled sigh.

She clasped her paws together and edged over to him. "Is he...?"

"Barely."

Switch stood, his legs wobbling as they strained to hold his weight, and hugged Vector to his chest. His golden eyes glistened with tears and he opened his mouth to say something to her, but was cut off as a flash of pink appeared a few feet away from them.

"It's gone!" Retro vanished again and reappeared beside them with the three unown floating around her head. "The Fracture's wall! It's gone!" Her eyes went down to the meowstic in his arms and they widened slightly. "What happened? I thought once the virus had gone..."

"We'll explain later," said Switch. "He needs help."

Retro gave a curt nod. A pink bubble formed around them and in a flash the world warped and reformed at the site of Central Meta Hospital.

Pixel's heart sank. This was the last place she wanted to see.

The whole street was teaming with pokemon, their frantic voices melding together as they searched through the crowd. More and more of them were gathering onto the street, flooding through the reception and pausing to look down at their bodies with fascination. Bodies they thought they would never see again.

Pixel couldn't help but shake her head in wonder. Vector had done it. The destruction of the Fracture erased the virus.

"How on earth are we meant to get through here?" Switch asked as he tried to avoid being jostled in the crowd, clutching Vector protectively to his chest.

Pixel clutched onto his knee, keeping an eye above her as they passed by the larger pokemon who weren't being too careful with where they put their feet.

"Hey!" Switch roared over the din. "Does anyone work here?! We need help!"

The pokemon standing closest to them looked over at him then stepped aside, watching with curiosity as the human moved through the crowd clutching his unconscious friend.

"Any doctors?!" Switch shouted. "Anyone?!"

The closer they got to the door, the more rowdy the crowd became. Retro appeared beside Pixel, throwing a bubble over her before a rhydon crushed her beneath his foot. The large rock pokemon looked down with surprise and gave her a heartfelt apology.

Before Retro could give Switch the same treatment, two green paws reached out from the crowd and plucked Vector from his grip.

Switch's eyes widened with fear and his lip curled into a frown. The crowd parted and several pairs of curious eyes looked between the human and the gallade. One of the three pokemon neither of them had wanted to see. Pixel's heart did a flip and her paws went to her mouth as she stifled a yell.

"You wanted a cure," said Switch bluntly. "You were right. He had it."

Hertz met Switch's eye then looked back down at the limp meowstic. Shifting him onto one arm, he adjusted his stethoscope over his ears and placed it on Vector's chest. After a long, tense moment, he looked over his shoulder and shouted into the reception.

"I need a respiratory doctor in critical care! Now!" He turned back to Switch and Pixel and gave them a solemn nod. "We've got no power but I assure you we'll do what we can."

Switch stood watching after the gallade, dumbfounded.

Retro peered over his head. "That's the doctor you were telling me about?"

Both Switch and Pixel nodded.

"I was really expecting him to throw us into prison," said Pixel.

She took off after the gallade, dodging through the crowd that filled the reception. The crowd parted as Switch pushed through behind her, allowing them enough space to flow out into the empty corridor after Hertz.

...

 **I would have posted this at the start of the chapter, but I didn't want to because spoilers. Missing Number's pinging cry is the old 90s Internet dial up noise. If you don't remember it, or are two young to have heard it, you can find videos on YouTube. I listened to one at least twice to try and get it right lol.**

 **Continue on for the epilogue! (If you greninja'd this chapter as I uploaded it, you might need to refresh!)**

 **Please R &R! =D**


	38. Epilogue

**A/N - You're probably wondering about Vector, so I won't keep you. I'll meet you in my ending notes!**

Epilogue

The rhythmic beeping from the heart monitor was the only noise in the ward. Pixel sat on a plastic chair, slumped forward with her arms folded beneath her on the bed. She'd refused to leave, spending nights sleeping in the hospital waiting room. It had taken two days for the main control deck to be repaired. In the meantime it had been touch and go. The life support machine they'd wired Vector up to had been battery powered, and a raichu had come in to charge it up every couple of hours. Pixel had been certain it was the same raichu they'd fought with only a week or so earlier, but if he recognised them he didn't show it.

The mattress shifted and Pixel's eyes fluttered open. A paw brushed her head and she looked up at Vector as he stretched out his arms. His face creased as he flinched and retracted his arms back in towards his chest.

A huge smile spread across her face and she propped herself up on her elbows. "Vector."

His blew eyes opened and he pushed himself up as he looked around the room. When his eyes fell on her he relaxed and rubbed a paw across his face.

"Where am I?" he asked. "What happened?"

"After you defeated Missing Number, you... well... we had to rush you to hospital." She watched him look around the room again. "It's Central Meta. You'll be surprised. The doctor who was after you... he saved your life."

"Really?" His eyes widened briefly and he looked down at his paws. "So the antivirus has gone... does that mean...?"

Pixel nodded. "System is back to normal. Well... there's damage, but those who had the virus have recovered."

"Recovered, eh?" He rubbed a paw against his chest. "Then why am I still sore?"

"They think the antivirus did some damage. They found blistering on your lungs, but they're trying their best to fix it."

He pushed himself up and adjusted his pillow so he could lean back against the wall. Once he was comfortable he yawned widely and took the glass of water Pixel offered to him.

"So how is everyone else?" he asked.

"Switch is fine. He went back to Spool yesterday, but he wouldn't leave until the doctors assured him you were okay."

He chuckled and sipped at his water. "He's not a bad guy."

Pixel smiled. "No, he's not. He's been worried sick. Chip's recovered from the virus too and she's with Retro and the unown now. They've gone back to the Binary Jungle since Cyan Island is still grounded. I'm not sure they'll ever get them up in the sky again."

"Well, they got them up in the sky centuries ago so there must be some modern technology that can do it."

He took another sip of his water then leant towards Pixel to set his glass back on the table. Their eyes met and he raised a paw, brushing it over the long fur beside her face. She let out a happy sigh and leant her cheek into his paw, feeling it trace over her cheek and jaw.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said.

He leant towards her but she raised a paw to stop him.

"I have some more news for you. I think you'll want to hear this."

He raised an eyebrow to prompt her to continue.

"Your group, Bridge. They're all alive and are assisting with an investigation in the ruined lab. They've found something they think might lead back to the human world."

"Wow." His eyes widened and he gave a small laugh. "That's... that's amazing."

"I know. They're keeping quiet about it though so we don't know any real details. I think they want to avoid causing too much fuss perchance it's nothing. Also, some might think it poses a threat."

"Then how do you know about it?" He paused and looked around the room before lowering his voice. "N00b?"

"Actually... we have Retro to blame for this one. She got curious about the mew cloning experiment the humans were doing. It made her wonder if that's why she was immune to the virus and she decided to go investigating. She stumbled upon Bridge's discovery and was told to stay quiet. She only told us because we were there."

"Well... looks like all this has finally come to an end then." He ran a paw over the fur between his ears and sighed. "It's all over..."

He locked his eyes on hers again and held them as he brushed his paw over her cheek. Then he leant forwards and caught her in a kiss, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her towards him until she was perched on the edge of the bed. He broke away and trailed small kisses over her cheek and down to her shoulder, then stopped to nuzzle into her fur.

"Did they say how long I was going to be in here?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I don't think they know. But since you're clearly better then... I can't imagine too much longer."

He met her eyes again and stroked his paw over her arm. She caught it in her own paw and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I really need to get some lunch. Is there anything you need? I'll bring it when I come back this afternoon."

He leant back against the pillow and yawned again. "Just something to read." He gave her one of his warm smiles that made his whole face light up. "And yourself."

She felt a blush spread over her cheeks and she slipped from the bed and made for the door.

...

Hertz looked away from the meowstic's window and turned down the corridor as he flicked over his medical notes. He'd not seen a condition as severe as Vector's before, but he was confident he was making good progress.

He passed by Sample and Mono leaning against the wall and Sample kicked back from it and cleared his throat.

"You gonna do something about that mawile and her friends?" Sample asked a little too loudly.

Hertz looked back at him. "Hmm? No, I wasn't planning on it."

"But they broke into the hospital," said Mono. "Not to mention started a rumble and smashed a window!"

"While that may be true," said Hertz as he turned to continue down the corridor, "they succeeded in doing what I couldn't. I think saving the world is a good enough excuse for the little inconvenience they caused, don't you?"

...

One month later...

Pixel stood between Vector and Retro, peering between N00b's ears while craning to see past the pokemon in front of her. The portal looked like a black tear amongst the debris of the laboratory. It leaked an ultraviolet light like those cracks, but allegedly posed no threat. The marowak pacing back and forth before it spoke clearly into a megaphone.

"Thorough investigation has gone on beyond this portal and we can confirm that it does indeed lead to the human world," he said. "However, I want you all to know before you go back that your world has also been affected by its own virus outbreak. The city beyond this portal has been reduced to ruin, but we can assure you any trace of a virus is gone. The humans were affected in much the same way as the pokemon were here. Their forms were changed into that of pokemon, but they are now returned to their normal state. How do we know this? Because we asked."

A few cries came from the group of pokemon as they retreated back from the nearest humans standing amongst them.

The marowak raised his paw and shouted through his mega phone, "Calm down, don't worry yourselves! We already know the virus can't cross the species barrier. The humans were with us way before the outbreak." When the crowd had calmed down, he went on, "Since humans are still pokemon here, we ran a test to see what would happen when they go back. Our volunteer's form reverted to that of a human the moment they stepped through the portal, so we can rest assured your forms will be returned to you very soon. As for the humans back in your world, they are also conducting their own experiments on the other side of the portal, and are eagerly awaiting your return. Firstly, the ones still in comas will be entering first, then those who are conscious will follow."

N00b sobbed and looked up at Connor. "Well... looks like you're finally going home."

"I know." The pikachu's eyes widened. "I can't believe it."

"You sure you don't wanna stay?" asked Byte. "I can teach you some electric attacks."

Connor waved the emolga off. "No, thank you. I've been waiting for this day for years."

"Aww, I'm gonna miss you, Connor boy." Snippet the leavanny dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "You take care now, okay?"

Her eyes flew wide open when Connor span and threw his arms around her waist. Tears shone at the corners of his eyes and he wiped a paw over his nose as he pulled away.

N00b shook his head sharply. "No, no! Don't you cry! You're gonna set me... aww!" He screwed his eyes shut as tears trickled over his muzzle and sobbed loudly.

Switch leant forwards and ruffled the lillipup's ears. "You know it's for the best, buddy."

N00b nodded. "I know, I know. But if you can... you know... visit on holidays and stuff."

Switch laughed and turned to Connor, pulling an envelope from his pocket.

"If you wouldn't mind," said Switch. "The directions are on there. Please pass that on to my parents."

Connor looked from the envelope to Switch. "Wait... you're really not coming?"

Switch shook his head. "I've got a life here. Everything my parents need to know is written in that letter." He gave Connor a fond smile. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

Connor stared at him for a moment then nodded, returning his smile. "Thank you, everyone. For everything."

They watched the pikachu as he went to join the crowd of humans. Wheels rattled over the concrete as beds were dragged towards the portal and guided through to the other side.

Diode and N00b snuffled and dabbed at their eyes.

"I can't believe this day's finally come," said Pixel.

"No," said Vector. "Neither can I."

"So Switch, why-"

Pixel looked around through the crowd and spotted Switch's retreating form. She quickly apologised to Vector and ran off after him.

"Switch!"

He stopped and looked back at her.

"Why aren't you going home?" she asked.

He chuckled and leant back against a tree. "I thought you didn't want me to go home."

"I don't," she said. "But that's just me being selfish. It's your home. This might be your only chance to go back. They're going to try and close it after."

He shrugged and looked over at the crowd. "To be honest, I see this place as my home now. It's kind of a long story, Pixel, but before I got sucked into this world I was already running away from home. I'd got fed up of life in my town. It wasn't easy. I didn't have any friends. One day I decided to just leave. To go and find myself. I'd managed to make it all the way to Cinnabar Island when that explosion hit. I found myself in this world and at first I wanted to go back, but after a while I made friends. I even made a living for myself. The one thing I do regret though is that I never had a chance to tell my parents I'd made it to Cinnabar Island. Surely they know by now that I was in that explosion, so I sent Connor with a letter to tell them I'm okay. I'm alive and I'm staying here."

She looked back at the group of pokemon, the marowak's voice cutting over the noise.

"Form an orderly line! An orderly line!"

"Besides," said Switch. "I can't break N00b's heart twice. He's already got one human leaving him."

Pixel laughed and clasped her paws behind her back. "So what are you going to do now he's going home?"

He made a thoughtful noise and gave her a wink. "I think I might join an investigation team. Do you know any?"

A huge smile spread across her face.

"Hey, guys?" Vector waved at them. "Connor's going home. Don't you want to see him off?"

Switch gave a heavy sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "All right. I'll watch him. But get ready to see a grown man cry, okay?"

They rejoined the crowd and Pixel stood between Retro and Chip. The buneary gave her a fond smile and looped an arm around her shoulders.

The flow of humans walking into the portal caused tears to well up in Pixel's eyes. She wiped a paw across them and looked over at Switch. He'd adopted his talonflame form in an attempt to blend in, but the tears were clear in his golden eyes. She made sure not to miss the small pikachu dressed in a suit slip through the portal. He never even looked back.

When every last human was through, the marowak and members of Bridge pulled up a hazard ribbon, cutting off access to the portal.

Pixel found herself swept in the crowd on the way out of the ruined city.

"Well, this has been an x-tremely emotional day," said X.

"You're telling me," said Amp. "I don't think I've cried so hard in my life."

"Hmm." Switch folded his arms behind his head. "I'm gonna miss Connor, but I'm happy for him. It'll be interesting to see what this world is like now. All the cases I took on for Luma Island were hate crimes towards humans."

"Yeh, they got cast aside," said Pixel sadly.

"I can't really remember what life was like twelve years ago," said Retro with a laugh. "What did we do?"

"Solved cases that were swept under the rug," said Pixel. "Took on small requests."

"Weren't you looking into the human's mew cloning?" Switch asked her.

Retro waved a dismissive paw. "Oh, I've dropped that. There's no possible way I can find out if more mew were immune to the virus since they all live in the Analogue Islands, and the virus never made it that far. Since I can't find out any more, I've decided to get an investigation team up and running again."

"That's great!" said Pixel. "I was hoping to do that too!"

N00b skipped up beside them. "Well first thing's first, you wanna get your island back up in the air, right?"

Switch looked down at him with a start. "N00b, I really don't think you should toy with a flying island."

"I made a flying car!"

"Yes but that island is a lot bigger!"

N00b tutted and looked away from him. "You've got no faith in me."

Retro laughed. "I'm sure they'll get it back up there somehow. In the meantime I was thinking of going back to the Binary Jungle."

Switch grimaced and Pixel hid a smile behind her paw.

"Can we find somewhere a bit bigger?" she asked Retro. "Somewhere that could at least accommodate a talonflame?"

"Oh!" Retro clasped her paws behind her back and floated up in front of Switch. "Thinking of joining us, are you?"

"If you wouldn't mind," he answered.

Vector closed his eyes and snorted. "I don't think he would have given you much choice."

N00b bounced up and down on his toes. "Well, if Switch is joining, I'm joining!" Diode waved frantically and N00b nodded. "So is Diode."

"Well, we need all the members we can get," said Retro. "It's not an easy job. I think we'll be the first investigation team to reform."

"Oh wait! I have an idea!" N00b trotted backwards as he talked to the mew. "We can use Connor's old base! I'm sure Snippet won't mind!"

"Oh wonderful!" Switch beamed. "We'd have a maid!"

"Hey! Snippet's like a mother to me. Don't call her a maid!"

Retro laughed again. "If Snippet won't mind, then we would love to use Connor's base."

"Excellent!" Switch stretched languidly. "I can fit in there in either form."

As they walked on, Vector slipped his paw into Pixel's and she looked over at him, catching his eye. He gave her a warm smile and edged closer to her, turning his attention to the sky. She followed his gaze and felt happiness swell up inside her.

No more cracks. They had a perfect, clear view of the sky.

"You know what would be nice?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Relaxing in a sunbeam."

...

 **That's it! It's done! =D Just in time for Sun and Moon! Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, I am currently in the process of writing a load of background fluff for an upcoming Pokemon fanfic I hope to be an epic. I've missed writing a long story. It hasn't got a title yet, but it's going to be a dystopian. If that's your thing, please keep an eye open ;D**

 **Thanks again guys! Please R &R! =D**


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